Pure
by sweetrosey
Summary: Harry Potter has always been the Golden Boy. But is he as pure as they all think? Or is there something that lies deeper? CUTTING, ABUSE, SLASH HPDM R&R!
1. Chastity

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Harry Potter!  
  
A/N: Okay people, this is a SLASH. Spell it out with me: S-L-A-S-H. That spells SLASH! Dictionary: slsh okay? That is MALE MALE pairings. In this case it is HARRY AND DRACO. As in HARRY POTTER and DRACO MALFOY. AS IN GOLDEN BOY AND PRINCE OF SLYTHERIN! YES, I know this will NEVER happen, OKAY?? That is why this is called FAN FICTION! Now, that is about EIGHT warnings, plus two on the summary. So if you don't like SLASH, (b/c this is SLASH-there, NINE) DO NOT READ THIS STORY! I do NOT want to see any flames from pathetic homophobic's who DO NOT LIKE that Harry is GAY in this fic (b/c he is-there TEN) GOT IT?  
  
Also, warnings: Dark, Blood, Cutting, SLASH (ELEVEN!!)  
  
If that is not 'your ship' than get on a DAMN plane, you git!  
  
Rain: Morons.  
  
**huff huff** OKAY! There, we are done with the hostile rambling! Above was my muse, Rain. She is...dark. No wonder she inspires me! MUAHAHAHAHA!  
  
Okay, I hope everyone likes this fic!  
  
SLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHS LASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASHSLASH!  
  
Okay, it's out of my system! Enjoy!  
  
// = thoughts.  
  
---- = flashback.  
  
++++  
  
Pure  
  
Chapter One: Chastity  
  
++++  
  
Pure.  
  
What a funny word. Clean. Untainted. Chastity.  
  
Pure.  
  
That's what they call him. Pure. Perfect. The Golden Boy. He can not do anything wrong. How could he? He was Gryffindor pride.  
  
He's just to fucking pure.  
  
But he's never considered himself pure. Do you know why? Because he's not. He was never pure.  
  
Perhaps he was, once. Once upon a time...Back when he was small, so little he wasn't even aware of himself yet. When he didn't know that the world extended past the backyard. So small that he wasn't aware that you could be anything BUT innocent.  
  
Maybe then.  
  
Maybe then, he was pure. He was innocent. Maybe then.  
  
But not now.  
  
Sure, he used to think it. But then the day came the day that he realized he wasn't pure. The first time he knew that he would never be innocent.  
  
It was his second birthday.  
  
So young...  
  
----  
  
"BOY!" The shout tore through the hall, reaching Harry Potter's ears. He was only two.  
  
It was his second birthday, actually. Not that it really mattered. Today was like any other day, if not worse.  
  
"Yes, uncle?" The frightened two-year old squeaked, peering down the stairs.  
  
The giant man pounded up the stairs, his eyes angry. Young Harry ran into his room, diving on his bed, covering his head with a pillow, as though hiding the world.  
  
Oh, what could his uncle want this time?  
  
He felt a strong, meaty pair of hands wrap around his ankles. He screamed as the hands yanked him backwards, and he flew off the bed. The man who was supposed to be his 'loving uncle' dropped him on the floor, standing over him, staring at him with pure hatred.  
  
The boy cowered on the floor, his small arms wrapped around his head, his small body shaking. The large man kicked the boy hard in the stomach, and he let out a small cry of pain.  
  
The cry seemed to enrage his uncle further, and he began beating him harder. He flew at the boy, his fists whirling in unspeakable rage.  
  
When Uncle Vernon had seemingly pounded out all of his anger, he stood up over the bleeding boy, and wiped a small trail of spit that had been running down from his lips.  
  
"Listen to me, boy," the man had growled, "you are nothing without us. We keep you alive. You are scum. Nothing. You are trash. Mere litter on the highway. Crap. Do you understand?"  
  
Harry had remained silent, trembling, biting his lip, tears running down his face.  
  
"Do you understand?!" His uncle had roared, slamming his foot into Harry.  
  
"Y-yes. Yes sir." Harry had whimpered.  
  
His Uncle, with a menacing look had left the room. At the time, Harry didn't know what he had done to cause his Uncle to beat him so. Later, he found that Vernon had lost his job. And he blamed Harry.  
  
He was only two...  
  
----  
  
The present day Harry gave a small snort.  
  
A lot of things had changed since then.  
  
He didn't believe his uncle, not anymore.  
  
Never again.  
  
He knew he was something without him. That they didn't keep him alive, that he kept himself alive. It had always been that way.  
  
This was the fifth summer. Six year wouldn't start for a while.  
  
Damn.  
  
Not that he truly looked forward to going to school. Sure, he had friends there. But he lost himself there. He put on his mask. He couldn't be himself there; he couldn't be himself around any Hogwarts students.  
  
Hell, he couldn't be himself around any magical person. At all.  
  
Why? Because he was the golden boy. How could he show his true colors? No, he had to remain one color: Gold.  
  
He had to be pure around them. But he wasn't pure. Not really. His body was covered with hidden scars, his face streaked with invisible tears.  
  
The blood that ran through his body was black.  
  
He would swear that he bled poison.  
  
But they would never know, would they? They never could.  
  
Could they?  
  
He was the golden boy. And he would stay like that forever.  
  
Wouldn't he?  
  
++++  
  
A/N: okay, well, there you have it! This can actually be a one shot if you'd like it to be. What do u say? Continue? Don't continue? Tell me please!!  
  
If you DID NOT read the SLASH warnings above, DO NOT FLAME ME! I do NOT want to hear you winning about how Harry is NOT gay, b/c you didn't notice the warnings!  
  
((sorry, but I got flamed for one of my story's b/c of that, and it really made me MAD-other slash authors know what I mean.))  
  
PLEASE REVIEW!  
  
One shot? 


	2. Pain

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Harry Potter  
  
A/N: hey, everyone, I'm back. People liked this, so I thought, might as well continue! As always, this is a SLASH. MALE MALE. Harry/Draco. HPDM. Don't like it, than don't read it. I am in a very pissed off mood at the moment-  
  
Rain: you and me both.  
  
So this will not be the HAPPIEST chapter in the world. **sob** and for this I am sorry. However, this is only the start of the story, so don't give up on me just yet.  
  
Warnings: SLASH, depression, cutting, abuse, a bit of sadness.  
  
Well, here we goooo  
  
// = thoughts  
  
---- = flashback  
  
++++  
  
Pure  
  
Chapter Two: Pain  
  
++++  
  
Harry Potter sat on his bed, in the small cupboard that was known as his 'room.' His head rested in his hands, his shoulders slumped over.  
  
God, he hated it here.  
  
Only the second day of summer, and the Dursley's had managed to make his life hell. Last night, Vernon had gotten incredibly drunk. Harry didn't know it was humanly possible to get that drunk.  
  
And when Vernon got drunk, he got angry.  
  
Harry had hastily retreated to his room, wishing he could lock his door. He had thrown himself down on the bed, and, a pillow thrown over his head to drown out all sounds had worried all night. Vernon, however, had retired to his room sometime around three in the morning without glancing at Harry.  
  
It was currently five in the morning. The sun had not yet risen, but Harry was always awake during these forbidden hours. He liked the danger of them. Before anyone was awake...to live while England slept.  
  
Harry was again worrying about Vernon. Yes, he was angry when he was drunk. But when he had a hangover he was murderous.  
  
And Harry was sure that today he would have a huge hangover.  
  
He sat there in the silent hours of the lonely morning, slipping slowly in and out of consciousness. But whenever his eyelids would begin to droop, a sudden sound, a creak of the house, a bark of a dog, would spring him from his wanted slumber, alert and on his feet.  
  
Finally, at nearly 5:30, he leaned back on his bed, contempt. If Vernon was going to wake up, it wouldn't be anytime soon.  
  
Or so he thought.  
  
His eyes slowly dropped shut. After a moment, his breathing became level. That was when the door banged open.  
  
Vernon Dursley rammed into the room, his eyes wild. Harry shot up in bed, his fuzzy eyes settling on the angry man that stood in front of him.  
  
"No..." he whispered.  
  
// Oh, God, not again. //  
  
Harry scrambled to the back of his bed, his arms over his head to protect himself. He heard the bed groan as Vernon crawled onto it, and he shivered in fright.  
  
// don't hurt me, please, please, please... //  
  
He became very aware that Vernon's hot breath was on his neck, causing his hair to rise.  
  
The first blow came to his ribs. Harry didn't even feel it at first. Everything was numb. Then white hot pain shot through his body, and he bit his lip to keep from crying out.  
  
// I will not scream... //  
  
The blows rained down on him, showering upon his body. Harry's hands had been pulled from his face, and he could see Vernon barring down on him, his face screwed up in anger.  
  
Harry withered under the monstrous man as he pinned him down. Harry's legs were pinned between Vernon's knees, the weight alone crushing them. Vernon's meaty fists pouring down upon him.  
  
The pain consumed his entire body, and, although Harry was not aware of it at the time, tears were streaming down his face. Vernon was grunting in the effort it took to keep up the savage beating.  
  
// oh God, oh God, oh God... //  
  
Harry's breath was coming in short, small gasps. His hand instinctively went up as Vernon's fist came hurdling towards his face. However, his Uncle caught it easily, and twisted it.  
  
Pain now shot down Harry's arm, and, unwisely, a small groan escaped Harry's lips.  
  
// Oh, no...Don't let it be broken. Please, not broken...//  
  
Vernon was breathing hard. The energy that drove him was running out, Harry could see it. Sweat was pouring off his body, landing on Harry's bleeding one. Harry's shirt had been ripped off, and the blood that was pouring from his cuts was beginning to drench his bed.  
  
Vernon's fist finally stopped. He leaned down so close to Harry that he could smell the sweat that poured off of his body. One last time, Vernon's fist slammed into Harry's jaw, and Harry screamed.  
  
// oh god... //  
  
Vernon slowly climbed down from Harry's bed. Before he walked out of his room, he turned and whispered, "Remember, boy, you are nothing without me."  
  
And then he was gone.  
  
Harry cringed on his bed, whimpering.  
  
Harry quickly turned, laying sideways on his bed, disgust and pain ripping through his body.  
  
Blood was still pouring from his wounds, bruises now coming to the surface.  
  
// "Remember, boy, you are nothing without me." //  
  
Harry sighed, pain shooting through him as he took a breath. He wouldn't think that. He wouldn't let him win...not again.  
  
Slowly, he sat up, tenderly moving his wrist. Sprained, at the most, not broken. Thank God.  
  
His ribs seemed bruised, but other than that there were only bruises and cuts. Harry stripped apart yet another shirt, and covered his bloody wounds.  
  
Then, in the lonely hours of the morn, as the sun slowly started to rise, Harry lost consciousness.  
  
Pain.  
  
++++  
  
A/N: okay, so that was crappy. Sorry, everyone. If it doesn't get better...it can only get worse.  
  
Rain: Retard.  
  
So, anyway, I'm sorry that was such a sucky chapter. Not in the best of moods.  
  
Thanks to all those who reviewed:  
  
Sesshomaruinluv- lol, ya w/ the repetitive, I'll do that a lot in things I write. I like it...it somehow sets the mood lol.  
  
Autumnsun- thanks! I hope you liked this crappy chapter lol  
  
Dea puella- thanks! I'll keep going until people start flaming saying, "OMG HOW CRAPPY CAN YOU GET??" lol  
  
Queen-Seta/Remmy-The-Insane- Thank you! I hope you liked this chapter as much as the last!  
  
DaughterofDeath- There you go!  
  
Celedriel-greenleaf- Oh, wow thanks! You really think so? ((Well, maybe not after THIS chapter...))  
  
Katty- Thanks, did you like it?  
  
n0b0dys-ang31- go, go, go! Lol! Hope you liked it!  
  
Sharade- lol, I love dark fics!  
  
Oracale- I hope you found this chapter interesting! Lol!  
  
To them, and everyone else, please keep reviewing!! 


	3. Another Mask

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Harry Potter!! grumble grumble  
  
A/N: okay, people, I AM BACK!! I hope everyone liked the last chapter! Luckily, I am not in a pissed off mood today (although I was, but everything is okay now!) so hopefully I am back in the swing of things, and this will be a better chapter!!  
  
Warnings: Slash, Cutting, Depression, Abuse...uhhh...blood...OH! Darkness!!  
  
To answer everyone's question, YES! This will be a Harry/Draco Slash!! I just haven't gotten into that yet...but I will soon. At the moment, summer has just started. And, because I am lazy, I will not be writing the WHOOOLLLE summer. The summer will probably only take two or three more chapters, and then BAM he is back in school with the OH SO SEXY...drum roll DRAAAACOOO MAAALLLFOY!! cheers in the background  
  
Rain: You...are...such...a...MORON.  
  
I love you, too, Rain.  
  
SOOOO HERE WE GOOOO....  
  
This chapter is dedicated to daughterofdeath, simply because she is one of my favorite reviewers. She has said but one thing: add a new chapter. This, I suppose, means she likes it enough to want a new chapter! It intrigues me, the way the reviews are two words long, but they still mean a lot ((to me)). By now, she probably thinks I'm crazy, and will probably stop reading this! Sooo to wrap this up: thanks.  
  
Dedicated to Daughter of Death.  
  
= thoughts  
  
---- = flashbacks  
  
Pain shot through Harry's body like a knife. Everything ached. He grabbed his sides as pain ripped through him, rocking from side to side.  
  
Panic effulged him as he realized he was struggling to breathe. He gasped for air, opening his mouth again and again, trying to gulp down the needed substance. No air found its way into his mouth. His lungs were on fire, screaming for oxygen.  
  
He lost his balance and landed with a thump on the ground. His arms had unwrapped themselves from his body, and were flailing in the air along with his legs. He rolled onto his side, clawing at the air.  
  
He couldn't breathe.  
  
Help me...   
  
His vision was becoming blurry. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He asked for help soundlessly.  
  
Save me...   
  
And then everything went black.  
  
"Harry? Harry!" There was a scream above him. The voice was familiar...who was it? Why did they seem so far away?  
  
He could hear footsteps coming towards him, voices shouting, mixed with confusion and fear. He knew whoever it was was right by him, but they seemed so far away...  
  
He could hear a second set of footsteps pounding towards him, whispering to the first breathlessly, their voice full of fear.  
  
Who were they?  
  
But, before he could find out, everything went black.  
  
Pain.  
  
So much pain.  
  
He could feel it ripping through him. He gritted his teeth, and opened his eyes slowly. Looking around him, he saw that he was on a bed, in the hospital wing.  
  
The summer had ended. The morning that Vernon had a hangover, and beat him, was only the beginning. Every night, for one reason or another, Vernon would beat Harry, calling him scum, calling him crap. And every night, Harry would slip unconscious, only to wake up in a puddle of his own blood.  
  
But how he got here, he could not remember. He knew he was in Hogwarts, but he could not remember arriving here....  
  
Before he could remember, however, there came a shriek from the corner. Turning his head to the side, he saw that Hermione was coming towards him at full speed, and behind her was Ron.  
  
He struggled to sit up, and pulled on his glasses. As his vision focused he saw that Hermione had been crying. She threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly, and Harry half-heartedly hugged her back.  
  
When she pulled away, Harry cleared his throat and whispered,  
  
"What happened?"  
  
Hermione nodded slowly. "Dumbledore said you might have forgotten...." She looked down at the floor. "Harry, you were found...on the train...Ron and I, we'd left already, we had to go with the prefects, remember? You said...you said you'd be fine by yourself. But then...you were lying there, on the floor of the train, on your side. Your eyes were wide open, your mouth gaping like you were trying to say something...Harry..." She trailed off.  
  
Harry reeled backwards, suddenly, as the memories hit him.  
  
He couldn't breathe...He was gasping for air...He fell off his seat...He was on the ground, withering around...Had to get air...Couldn't breathe...His vision was going fuzzy...And then nothing, just...darkness.  
  
Slowly, he nodded. "I-i couldn't breathe...I just...couldn't..." Suddenly he stopped. If Ron and Hermione were in the prefects compartment the whole time, than who-  
  
"Who found me?"  
  
"That would be me." Came the answer from across the room. Harry turned his head to the corner.  
  
He didn't know anyone else was in the room.  
  
Slowly, the boy stepped out from the shadows, his head down. When he looked up, and met Harry's eyes, a small gasp escaped Harry's lips.  
  
Draco Malfoy.  
  
Draco looked different than he had at the end of the last year. He had stopped gelling his hair and instead let it fall over his eyes in long, loose blonde strands.  
  
It was his eyes that struck Harry the most. His silver eyes. They had lost some of the coldness that had been in them last year. Could it be...that they had lost some of the hate as well?  
  
"I found you, Potter."  
  
Draco stared at Harry. His black hair had grown out, but was still as messy and rugged as ever. He was staring up at Draco in either shock that it had been him that found him or amusement that his archenemy had been the one that possibly saved his life.  
  
There was something wrong about him, however...  
  
The boy who lived looked dead inside. His eyes had lost their vigor. Draco could see that Harry was losing his shine as things became more and more complicated each year. But now, his eyes just looked...lost. No hope was left in them. Just sadness...they looked so...forlorn.  
  
"I found you, Potter."  
  
Harry blinked, but said nothing as Draco continued on.  
  
"Looked like a bloody fish, you did, laying there on the floor, your mouth hanging open. Almost died laughing, I did, looking at you...and then I noticed you weren't breathing. 'Course then I rushed you down to the hospital wing, being the noble person that I am. Couldn't have the savior of the world dieing, now could we? That'd be a shame." He said the last sentence sarcastically, causing Ron to grip the rail of Harry's bed tighter.  
  
Harry opened his mouth to respond, but found no words to say. Instead he just lowered his eyes and said quietly, "I'm not the savior of anything."  
  
Ron and Hermione were glaring at Draco, and Harry knew they hadn't heard him. However, Draco's eyebrows had become furrowed together, and Harry wondered for a moment whether or not he had.  
  
Harry simply rolled over on his other side, signaling to everyone that it had, indeed, been a very tiring day, and he would like some rest. He heard the three of the leave, and felt hot eyes on his back, boring into him.  
  
Even with his back turned, Harry knew the eyes were silver.  
  
Another year.  
  
Another mask.  
  
A/N: Okay, everyone, there you go! I hope everyone liked this chapter. Sorry, it may have been confusing at the beginning, but that was the only way I could think to begin the new school year.  
  
Draco Malfoy!! Woot woot!  
  
Slash will start soon, I'm sure.  
  
Please review! Thanks to everyone who reviewed last time:  
  
Dea Puella- Thanks, I hope you liked this one too!  
  
NiaSphinx- covers face and cowers in corner Okay, okay! I've introduced...drum roll MR. DRACO MALFOY!! Slash will come soon, I swear!!  
  
Crimson Skye- WAHOO! Like 13 or 12 days now! But groan exams...  
  
DaughterofDeath- Hope you liked this one, it was dedicated to you!  
  
Cmon- I hope this one was a little better! I know, you can't really explain it...lol. And yes, it will be.  
  
Queen Seta/Remmy The Insane- Thank you! Ah, cruel fate...poor Harry starts sobbing until she realizes that she writes it, therefore she is the one being cruel to Harry uhhhh...runs away  
  
Celedriel-greenleaf- Thank you soo much! Oh yes, he is evil, lol!  
  
Sinilu Silverspell- lol, oh I know, I wish she would!!  
  
Thanks to them, and everyone else (and them) please review! Thanks! 


	4. Malfoy

A/n: hey, everyone! I'm back! Did you miss me?  
  
Rain: no, no they did not.  
  
sticks out tongue ANYWAYS...last time, I'm very sorry, but the computer was spazzing or something, because none of the thought slashes () or the change of POVs worked. I think everyone understood clearly enough, thought.  
  
I hope they work this time!!  
  
(If this works...)  
  
= thoughts  
  
---- = flashback  
  
Back to Harry!!  
  
Pure  
  
Chapter four: Malfoy  
  
Harry blinked slowly. The fuzzy world around him slowly came into view. He pulled himself up, groaning softly.  
  
Gods, it hurt.  
  
His entire body ached, screamed in pain. Although the 'attack' had taken place two days ago, he was still having trouble breathing. Pain bit at his ribs every time he exhaled.  
  
He reached blindly for his glasses on the bedside table. As everything became clear, he looked around the room, surveying his surroundings. The two chairs that Hermione and Ron had been sitting on when he fell asleep where now empty and he suspected they were either getting some much needed rest, or eating breakfast in the Great Hall.  
  
Breakfast sounded good. Damn, he wanted to get out of bed. But as he was preparing to swing himself over the side, a loud yawn came from the other side of him, and he turned quickly.  
  
And met the silver eyes of Draco Malfoy.  
  
Draco, it seemed, had stayed the night. Though denying completely that he cared what happened to Harry, Draco was at his side just as often as Ron and Hermione.  
  
Harry suspected he was just taking joy in tormenting him.  
  
"I wouldn't be doing that, if I was you." Draco advised. "Pomfrey would flip."  
  
He stretched openly, leaning back into his chair, and meeting Harry's eyes, as though daring him to defy him.  
  
Harry took the challenge.  
  
That was a mistake.  
  
As soon as his feet hit the floor, Madame Pomfrey was in the room, screeching. Before Harry knew what was happening, he was tucked securely back into bed with cold porridge in his lap, and a scowl on his face.  
  
Draco smirked gleefully. "Good job there, Potter." He grunted.  
  
Harry scowled at him, and dragged himself out from under his quilt, his night shirt slipping loosely off his shoulder, revealing soft skin and...  
  
"A snake, Potter?" Draco muttered, staring at Harry's tattoo.  
  
Harry glanced down at his exposed shoulder, and then blushed slightly, as though he did not expect the tattoo to be there.  
  
It was in fact, a snake. A green snake, to be exact. An emerald snake that wrapped itself in and out of a fiery-eyed skull.  
  
Harry had gotten it over the summer, much to the horror of the Dursley's.  
  
Grunting a reply, he pulled his nightshirt over the tattoo, and took up his spoon. As Harry began to shovel porridge into his mouth, Draco muttered something that sounded like "ironic."  
  
Harry rolled his eyes, and continued shoveling the porridge into his mouth. Draco leaned forward, his silver eyes flashing.  
  
Although Harry did not yet know it, Draco had something in store for him...a test of some sort.  
  
Draco couldn't leave the boy who lived after hearing him mutter those words two days before. Now, finally, he would see just how forlorn the savoir was.  
  
"So, Potter," Draco drawled, "how was your summer?"  
  
Harry placed the spoon back in his bowl, looking over at Draco suspiciously. Since when did they make small talk? However, deciding against his instincts, he decided to play along.  
  
"How do you think it was, Malfoy?" Harry asked back, subconsciously rubbing a bruise that Vernon had given him.  
  
Malfoy smirked. "Oh, yes, Potter, I heard about that unfortunate," he said unfortunate like it was anything but that, "accident with Black."  
  
Harry's blood ran cold. He should have known that Malfoy's father would have told him...but...oh, God....  
  
"Tell me, Potter," Malfoy continued a malicious look in his eyes, "Did it hurt when he died? Did he look at you as he fell through the veil, did he ask you with his eyes...did he plead, 'help me, Harry?'"  
  
Harry could feel the tears rise with the anger.  
  
"Do you blame yourself, Potter?" Malfoy whispered, "Being the savior of the world and all? Do you blame yourself? You can save the whole bloody world, but not your godfather, hm?"  
  
"Get out." Harry managed to choke out quietly.  
  
Draco was about to meet with a cocky response...when Harry looked up.  
  
And met his eyes.  
  
Draco was prepared for there to be pain in them. Hell that was the point of this 'test.' To find out just how gone he was. He wanted there to be pain in them. He wanted Harry's eyes to be full of pain...to show him that he was wrong...that Harry was his same self, that nothing had changed.  
  
What he was not prepared for was the dull look in his eyes. He was not ready for the lifeless tears that threatened to spill down Harry's cheeks. He was not ready to see the look in Harry's eyes. He was not prepared for Harry to be so...  
  
Lost.  
  
Perhaps it was the look in his eyes; the sadness in his voice that made Draco lower his voice to a whisper. Perhaps it was that that made his voice quieter, less hateful.  
  
"Does it hurt, Harry?" He whispered.  
  
Harry started at the use of his first name. Maybe it was that that made him answer. Maybe it was that that made him look into Draco's silver eyes, and tell him the truth.  
  
"Yes." He whispered, the tears starting to fall from his emerald eyes.  
  
"I know." Draco whispered...as though he did know. He met Harry's lifeless eyes. "I know it does. But you can't..." He broke off, broke the eye contact.  
  
"You can't let that destroy you."  
  
A/N: Whoa, the latest of Pure is crap.  
  
Rain: Hell yes, it is.  
  
Well, everyone, there you go. Sorry about the crappines...thanks to all that reviewed:  
  
Dea Puella- lol! Thanks! Oh, the sexiness...lol. Oh yeah, I'm deep...I'm so deep...I never end! (Hyped up on sugar)  
  
Francesca- lol, here you are! Hope you liked it!  
  
DaughterofDeath- Thanks. Sounds stupid, but you saying that meant a lot to me.  
  
Lady Slone of Snow Mt- Hope you enjoyed it!  
  
Silver-sunn101- lol, oh I know! I got a review once saying my story, I'll Never Hate You, was crap because Harry and Draco would never get together...and I was like OMG! I don't CARE!! If you don't like it, WHY DID YOU READ IT?? Didn't you see the warnings?! Thanks, that was what I was most worried about...writing it the same as everyone else.  
  
Crystalstorm21- There you go! Hope you liked it, more soon!  
  
VBspikergirl9- Thanks!! You reviewed another story of mine! Lol! More REALLY soon, I'm sure! (If everyone wants me to continue, lol)  
  
Hiei's fiancee- Thanks! I know I am addicted too!  
  
SarkLover- Thanks! I never read slash either, but one fic and I was addicted, lol! Hope you keep reading!!  
  
TheSilverLady- Thank you, and yes, it is!  
  
Sarah- Oooh, I love bad Harry! I'm working on it! (Tattoo = first step!)   
  
Bob- I'm...sorry? Is that a good erg or a bad erg? B/c I always write stories that aren't done...and then I continue...most people here do that...  
  
Mistik-elf13- I know, HPDM is my favorite!!  
  
Biannca- Lol, here's more! Hope it wasn't too crappy!  
  
Crimson Skye- lol, oh shit...Exams start soooon!  
  
Tina- Thank you so much!!  
  
Picky- Omg, I loved your review! Thank you!!  
  
Thanks to them! To them, and everyone else, Please review!!  
  
((Sorry for the crappiness)) 


	5. Destroy

A/N: Okay, I'm back!! WAHOO! dances Past the 43 mark!! I know, Everyone's like, uhhh don't you normally rejoice when you get more than 100 reviews? ((Ha, like THAT'S going to happen.)) But 43 is my record!! WAHOO!!! We broke it! Thanks everyone!! ((Names at end of chapter))  
  
Okay, so I'm going to try something new, since my old method of showing thoughts wasn't working:  
  
-Words- = thoughts  
  
ex. -oh, gods, I don't want to die-  
  
---- = now shows POV changes and such. You'll be able to identify when you read.  
  
Well, here's the fifth chappie!  
  
-----  
  
Pure  
  
Chapter Five: Destroy  
  
-----  
  
-Can't let it destroy you-  
  
"Fuck!" Harry yelled, walking into the empty dormitory.  
  
He had been released from the hospital wing a day ago. Draco's words were still running through his mind.  
  
He pulled off his robe, revealing no shirt and black jeans. The lack of shirt also revealed more tattoos that Draco did not see.  
  
There was, of course, the fiery-eyed skull with the snake running through it.  
  
This, Harry had realized, looked almost identical to the Dark Mark.  
  
Somehow, that made Harry like it even more. A reminder what to never be.  
  
On his left shoulder a dagger stood. Its blade was silver, it's hilt wrapped in bloody thorns. Blood dripped off the dagger.  
  
Slightly below that one was a lone skull. A plain black one, with hollow eyes and an empty mouth.  
  
Harry had changed drastically over the summer. As he grew his black hair out, he found that as he grew it, light silver and red streaks began to appear.  
  
He had dyed the streaks black for the school year.  
  
He was the golden boy.  
  
Pure.  
  
They would be hardly fitting.  
  
With a flick of his wrist, a punching bag appeared. It was a habit that Harry had grown used to over the summer. When he was worried, troubled, he punched.  
  
"Fuck!" He yelled again, ramming his fist into the bag.  
  
-You can't let that destroy you.-  
  
The words had angered Harry more than anything Draco had ever done before. More than all the teasing that Harry had endured, all the pain Draco had brought to him.  
  
Because the words confused him.  
  
Draco had never been complex to him. A cruel smile, taunting eyes. That was all. Nothing lay beneath that.  
  
But now...these words...  
  
Spoken so softly....  
  
With kindness in his eyes.  
  
They had shown a side of Draco that Harry never new existed, a side that hinted...that perhaps things weren't always what they seemed.  
  
That perhaps Draco went deeper than he let on, that perhaps there was something below his rude veneer.  
  
And that scared Harry.  
  
What would he make of him, if he wasn't all that he seemed? What would he do if Draco wasn't as bad as he had always thought?  
  
Another fist hit the punching bag angrily. This was a waste of time. Angrily, he pulled his robe back over his glistening skin.  
  
He rummaged through his chest until he found what he was looking for...  
  
A knife.  
  
Sirius had given it to him before he had died. He had told him to use it well.  
  
Use it well...the same thing Dumbledore had told him in his first year. He would use the knife well.  
  
The dagger felt cool in his hands. It was a replica of the dagger now tattooed on his arm. Harry tightly gripped the dull thorns that ran down the hilt, and felt them lightly nip at his skin.  
  
It was going to take more pain than that.  
  
Placing the knife down carefully, he ran his thumb up the backside of his wrist. He felt the fragile bone, saw the jagged blue veins.  
  
Veins....that held the blood of life.  
  
But, no. He flipped his wrist over, and examined the front of it. He had no intention of dieing.  
  
Not yet.  
  
He pulled himself onto his bed and drew the curtains silently. Then he picked up the knife from where it lay, and drew a long line across the front side of his wrist.  
  
He smiled in satisfaction as a dull pain ran through him. Slowly...and then... Faster...blood poured out of the wound.  
  
He watched the crimson stream flow out of his cut and forms a maroon bracelet around his wrist.  
  
-You can't let that destroy you.-  
  
He wasn't going to let it destroy him.  
  
He was going to destroy himself.  
  
-----  
  
A/N: Well, there you go! Poor Harry, Sob Thanks to everyone who reviewed:  
  
DaughterofDeath- New chapter up! Hope you liked it!!  
  
Kelana- Lol, MORE PLEASE works just as well as anything else!!  
  
Hiei's fiancee- lol, I'm prolonging it, aren't I? MUAHAHAHAHA  
  
DreamingToThis- It doesn't make you a bad person, or I'm a bad person, too! Lol! I just love those kinds of fics!!  
  
Sesshomaruinluv- Really? Thanks! I will!  
  
Crystalstorm21- New chapter!! Hope you liked it!  
  
P0l- Lol, I'dCrystalstorm21 like to read your version!!  
  
SarkLover- Lol, I love tattoos! ((Not that I'd ever get one!))  
  
(1st chapter) ROsE-ofHeL- Thanks, I hope you liked the other three!  
  
(2nd chapter) ROsE-ofHeL- Oooh, I know, doesn't he just piss you off? Lol! I know, but in this fic, Harry can't do windless magic ((yet)) and no magic at home...blah...lol!  
  
Thanks to them, and now, thanks to everyone who has helped me reach 47:  
  
oracale, sharade, n0b0dys-ang31, katty, celedriel-greenleaf, DaughterofDeath, Queen-Seta/Remmy-The-Insane, dea puella, Autumn Sun, Sesshomaruinluv, Sinilu Silverspell, Cmon, Crimson Skye, NiaSphinx, picky, Tina, p0l, Biannca, mistik-elf13, bob, Sarah, TheSilverLady, SarkLover, Hiei's fiancee, VBspikergirl9, Crystalstorm21, silver-sunn101, Sarkney101, Lady Slone of Snow Mt, francesca, DreamingToThis, Kelana, and ROsE-ofHeL  
  
Thanks to everyone!!  
  
To them, I finally reached over my record!! cries hysterically  
  
Rain: Oh, God, don't you have ANY dignity??  
  
Ignores Rain and keeps crying. Thank you to them!!  
  
To them, and everyone else, PLEASE REVIEW! 


	6. The Battle

Disclaimer ((sorry, forgot to do this last time)): I do NOT own Harry Potter!  
  
A/N: I'm back!! Now, everyone, remember, this is set in Harry's 6th year, thus, the war is still raging ((as you will see in this chapter)) Hmm...Not much to say here...Very happy, we have reached the past 50 mark!! Thank you, everyone!!!  
  
I hope you like this chapter!!  
  
Dedicated to Dea Puella, for all her kind words, and for being a faithful reviewer!! Thank you!!  
  
----  
  
It started two days ago.  
  
The attacks.  
  
Harry had been sitting in potions, not listening to Professor Snape, as usual. Then he heard it-the sharp echoes of footsteps down the stone stairs. Suddenly alert, his eyes swiveled to the doorway to see a very flushed Dumbledore arrive.  
  
Harry knew, before he said it.  
  
"Harry!" The headmaster had shouted, "We need you!"  
  
He had walked calmly to the door, not looking back at Hermione or Ron, although he could feel their eyes on his back.  
  
He knew, before Dumbledore could utter a word.  
  
"They've come, haven't they?" He had whispered, his voice emotionless.  
  
"They have."  
  
"Is He with them?" Harry asked quietly, his voice still lacking fear.  
  
"He is not."  
  
Coward that he was, Voldemort had not come with his faithful Death Eaters. They had come, Harry supposed, to finish of the school.  
  
To finish off him.  
  
The students were sent back into their common rooms, ordered not to leave until further notice.  
  
Harry was there when they were told.  
  
He was sitting at the head table in the Great Hall, amidst the teachers. He had watched the students shift in their seats, casting wary glances at him, watched their eyes question what was going on.  
  
It had been a marvelous feast that night. Dumbledore had had the House Elf's prepare the finest food. But no one touched a thing.  
  
After the plates had been wiped clean, Dumbledore had stood up, and peered at the students over half-moon spectacles.  
  
"Students," he shad aid calmly, plainly, "we are surrounded."  
  
The hall had gone quiet for a short moment, and then erupted. No one asked who-what-they were surrounded by.  
  
No one had to.  
  
Dumbledore had calmly watched the students panic for a moment, and then silenced them with four red fire crackers.  
  
"It is up to you, what we shall do."  
  
Again, the hall had erupted. Most of the students had the same idea: surrender.  
  
Then it was Harry's turn to stand up. Silencing them with a mere glance, he said calmly,  
  
"This is not the end."  
  
All eyes were on him, including the teachers. Dumbledore had slowly sat down, gazing at Harry.  
  
"We must fight!" He had continued, "And we must win. This will not be the end. This will not be the fight that brings down Hogwarts. There will be many more to come. We must not surrender! This can be the beginning, if we make it. We can win against them. There are only a few hundred-" A brief murmur went through the crowd, a few shifty glances. "Death Eaters, but thousands of us! We can do this...we can win. We must not surrender to him, not now, not ever. This war is inevitable, but our victory is not yet assured. We can do this. This time, the first time, we can win!"  
  
He had gazed upon the students, a hopeful look in his slowly deadening eyes. This was all he had left-this war. And he would be damned if he would lose the last thing he was hanging onto.  
  
Slowly the murmurs graduated into cheers.  
  
It was decided. They would fight.  
  
They stayed up, practicing defense spells, preparing. They did not have much time, they knew. Only until morning.  
  
But they would be ready.  
  
The morning came, the sun rising over a hopeful school. Harry knew the next sunrise would be a red one.  
  
The students marched out of the school.  
  
The battle began.  
  
----  
  
The sun was high in the sky. Harry Potter was still battling against the Death Eaters. Some had gone down on both sides. The battlefield was littered with bodies, the dirt stained red. They stepped over the bodies, not daring to look at their faces...not wanting to know who they were...  
  
What scarred Harry was that...this was, indeed, only the beginning. A bloody fight, a horrible fight, but a beginning fight nonetheless...there would be so many others like it...so may others worse than it.  
  
As he sent another Death Eater to the ground, he heard something...something familiar...  
  
A laugh.  
  
But there was something so particular about the laugh, something that reminded Harry....  
  
Looking up, he saw her.  
  
Bellatrix Lestrange.  
  
Harry's mind flashed, he stumbled backwards as the memories hit him....as they cut through him...  
  
--  
  
He smiled a quick, small smile as he watched Sirius fight Bellatrix.  
  
"Come on, you can do better than that!" His godfather shouted glee obvious in his voice.  
  
And then it happened.  
  
The light hit him, catching him off guard. The smile was still on his face, his laughter still echoing around the room.  
  
But now, his eyes, they filled with something Harry had never seen before, never in his Godfather's eyes...  
  
Fear.  
  
He watched as Sirius tumbled backwards, his body arching behind him, his form suspended in the air. His wild, black locks tumbled around his face, the smile still poised on it.  
  
And then he began to fall.  
  
Harry released Neville, and began running towards the veil. It would be okay...he could save him...he could save him...  
  
"SIRIUS! SIRUIS!" The shouts ripped through his throat as he ran. He had to let him know he was coming...that he would pull him back up...  
  
He felt arm's grasp tightly around his waist, pulling him backwards.  
  
"There's nothing you can do, Harry-" The words were had no meaning to Harry, not now, he had to get him, had to get Lupin off him, had to save Sirius...  
  
"Get to him, save him; he's only just gone through!" Harry shouted, struggling again against Lupin's tight grip.  
  
"It's too late, Harry-" Lupin said softly, still holding him tightly, refusing to let go...  
  
"We can still reach him-" But Lupin would not let go.  
  
Time felt as though it had slowed. Harry could feel himself struggling against his friend's grip, knowing he would never let go...  
  
He could feel the sobs rise in his chest, threatening to come to the surface, felt his throat closing...choking...but he mustn't cry...he wasn't dead, wasn't dead, wasn't...  
  
Dead.  
  
"There's nothing you can do Harry....nothing....He's gone."  
  
--  
  
In his absentmindedness, Harry had failed to watch Bellatrix, and now found that she stood over him. He looked up into her cruel eyes, his wand ready...  
  
But she was faster.  
  
"Crucio!"  
  
And he fell, screaming, to the ground.  
  
----  
  
A/N: Well, there you have it! Hope you liked this one! I thought it was slightly better than the last ones have been...well, tell me what you think!!  
  
Thanks to all who reviewed:  
  
The Dark Flame- Thank you, I hope you liked this chapter!!  
  
Lady Slone of Snow Mt- sob Poor Harry...wait, I'm causing the pain, aren't I? ;;  
  
ROsE-ofHeL- I liked him in this chappie too!  
  
Hiei's fiancee- Don't worry, we'll get there!! I know, the tattoos!! fans self  
  
Lost- Thanks, I'll work on that!!   
  
Dea Puella (fourth chapter)- Not crap? Whew, good to know...lol  
  
Dea Puella (fifth chapter)- Good, I'm glad you liked that one!! Sexy Draco...lol. Hope you liked this one, as it was dedicated to you!  
  
Sesshomaruinluv-Lol, I'm sorry...good depressing, I hope. ((Is there such a thing?))  
  
p0l-Glad you liked that one! lol! Hope this one was a little better!  
  
SarkLover- Lol, action in this chapter, although not the action everyone is hoping for! I know-I would love to get a tattoo, but I'm afraid of that, too ((plus my parents killing me))  
  
Crystalstorm21- Hope you liked this one!!  
  
----  
  
A/N: Well, there we go!! TO them, and everyone else, please review! Rain is....umm....sharpening her knife...uhhh...I'd better run...  
  
((runs away while Rain glares at her menacingly))  
  
Please review!! 


	7. Angry

A/N: Okay, everyone, I'm back!! Sorry it's taken me two days...I'm having a bit of writers block. Bear with me!  
  
BTW- Exams start in 2 weeks, so if I take a while to update, it's because I'm studying my ass off!!  
  
Thank you to everyone who reviewed!! ((More thanks at the bottom!!)) I'm almost over 70!! sobs this is historic for me!  
  
Rain: Sod. ((Sharpens knife))  
  
Uhhh...I might want to start running now. ((I swear she's going to revolt and kill me one of these days!!))  
  
This chapter is dedicated to SarkLover, who gave me an idea as to how to introduce Draco into the battle! Thank you and I hope you like this chapter!!  
  
Happy readings!!  
  
----  
  
Pure  
  
Chapter 7: Angry  
  
----  
  
When we left them...  
  
In his absentmindedness, Harry had failed to watch Bellatrix, and now found that she stood over him. He looked up into her cruel eyes, his wand ready...  
  
But she was faster.  
  
"Crucio!"  
  
And he fell, screaming, to the ground.  
  
----  
  
He landed on the ground with a thud, a sharp pain shooting up his back as he did so. Immediately, he bit down on his lip, hard, to stop the screaming.  
  
He would not scream.  
  
Blood poured into his mouth, adding to the pain. He spit it out on the ground, the coppery taste lingering in his mouth.  
  
He watched Bellatrix, standing above him, her cruel laughter ringing in his ears.  
  
He couldn't reach his wand...Everyone was so caught up in their own battles that they hadn't noticed him withering on the ground.  
  
The pain was wrenching through his body. If it didn't stop soon...he would be knocked unconscious.  
  
He must stay awake...  
  
His body convulsed rapidly, jerking up and down in quick movements. His head rose off the ground as pain shot through him, only to come crashing down on the dirt, a mind splitting pain shooting throughout his skull.  
  
Despite himself, Harry let out a small scream. It wasn't much, but it was enough for Hermione to look over from where she was fighting and gasp.  
  
He watched Hermione through deadened eyes...his only hope...his only chance...  
  
But the other Death Eaters seemed to have caught on to this, as they all quickly surrounded Hermione, making it impossible for her to reach Harry....  
  
Harry head pounded again on the ground, this time hitting a small, jagged rock that was sticking up from the ground. Not enough to do any permanent damage, but he could feel the blood that rushed out of it matting his black hair.  
  
His hands were bleeding from his fingernails digging into them. Four slit marks had appeared on the palm of both hands. As he dug his nails into the ground, blood mixed with dirt.  
  
His lip was still bleeding from where he had bitten it, the coppery liquid still slowly filling his mouth, running down from the corners of his lips.  
  
Help...  
  
He couldn't reach his wand, as it had been thrown a few feet away from him when the spell had hit him, and his feet had flipped out from underneath his body.  
  
Hermione was still struggling against the Death Eaters, and Harry now saw that they had cornered Ron, too...  
  
No one to save him...  
  
Then, suddenly, Harry heard the whispering of words behind Bellatrix. He saw her eyes become dazed, and then she tilted, falling towards him.  
  
Reacting quickly, he rolled to the side, barley escaping her falling body.  
  
The pain had stopped, the Unforgivable curse broken. Now there were only the remains of the pain that was just there. When Harry's head stopped throbbing, he was able to sit up slightly.  
  
And there he was.  
  
Draco Malfoy.  
  
He was standing over Harry, his wand still held outward. Slowly, he met Harry's eyes. Then he extended his hand out towards Harry, much like he had done in their first year.  
  
Looking from Malfoy's hand, to the stunned Bellatrix, and then to Ron and Hermione, who had broken away from the Death Eaters at last, and had hurried to him, he realized what must have happened.  
  
Draco saved him.  
  
Ignoring Draco's hand, Harry looked around. The Death Eaters were being pushed back, behind the gates of Hogwarts. They could hold them there for a while.  
  
Then, pulling himself up angrily, and without grabbing Draco's hand, Harry stormed past everyone, and back into the castle.  
  
"Dammit!" He yelled, slamming his fist against the stone wall.  
  
Anger coursed through his body.  
  
He was angry at Draco for being the one to save him. Angry at him for being there. Angry at him for showing him, again, that there might be something under his rude facade. Angry at him for extending his hand to him, angry at that look in his eyes when he did, that look of kindness.  
  
He was angry at Ron and Hermione. Angry at them for not saving him. Angry at them for not being there. Angry at them for not helping him. Angry at them for not being able to help him.  
  
He was angry at Bellatrix. Angry that she killed Sirius. Angry at her for catching him off guard. Angry that she had tried to kill him. Angry that she had done a damn good job at it, too.  
  
He was angry at Sirius. Angry that he had died. Angry that he wasn't here, now, not here to help him, to fight beside him. Angry that he wasn't here to tell him that everything would be alright, that it would all be okay. He was angry that he wasn't there to tell him that he loved him.  
  
A hot tear rolled down his face as he ran into the nearest deserted classroom.  
  
Mostly, he was angry at himself. Angry for not being able to react when Bellatrix cursed him. Angry that he was off guard. Angry that he had let his emotions get the better of him.  
  
He was angry that he didn't take Draco's hand.  
  
He was angry that he had run out. He was angry that he had deserted them, everyone outside, fighting for him. He was angry...that he hadn't saved Sirius. Angry that he hadn't jumped in after him, angry that he hadn't been able to catch him as he fell. He was angry that Sirius wasn't here now, so he could tell him that he loved him.  
  
He was so angry.  
  
Two more tears fell down his cheeks. Slamming the door behind him, he threw himself against the wall, and then slid down it, taking out the dagger Sirius had given to him.  
  
He careful rolled up his sleeves and selected a spot that was not already covered in scars. Choosing one further up his arm, he took the dagger and drew a thin line across his skin.  
  
He smiled as the wave of pain hit him, washing across him. The blood dripped off the sides of his arms, soaking his robes. Then, wiping the blood off the dagger with his robes, and tucking it back into his waistband, he stood up.  
  
And that was when Hermione burst in.  
  
Turning around quickly at the sound of the door shutting behind her, Harry met the eyes of his best friend.  
  
He didn't notice as a drop of blood slipped off his soaked robes and fell to the floor.  
  
"Harry," she whispered, her voice cold, "how could you do that? Just...just run out on them?"  
  
"They've got it under control." He grunted. "They're holding them off."  
  
"They're coming back!" She shouted, taking a step forward, "Listen, Harry, I know who she was. I know...she was the one who...killed him. But Harry, you have to be strong. Be strong for them, for me, for all of us! We need you now, Harry, more than ever. Please...just for now...just...forget the pain."  
  
Harry stared at her dully, but he could feel the anger rising in his chest. "I," he whispered, the one word full of so much anger, "will never forget the pain. THIS WAR is bigger than me, and I can not fight it alone." His English accent burned with hate, "I can't be who you want me to be...I can't be this savior anymore. I can not be strong for you, for them, regardless of how I feel. I can't be the golden boy anymore." Then his voice softened, and he said, almost in a whisper, "I won't be...." Then, his eyes rising off the floor, he said, "And don't you ever tell me to forget the pain. You have never seen someone you care about, you love so much that you would give your life for theirs, die before your eyes. You have not seen them slip through your fingers without being able to do anything to stop it. So don't u ever tell me to forget the pain." His last words were whispered with such emotion...such pain.  
  
Hermione, he eyes on the floor, whispered, as though to the wind, and not to Harry, "You're wrong, Harry. I have seen someone I love, and care about so much that I would give my life for theirs die before my eyes...without being able to do anything."  
  
"Oh yeah?" Harry whispered, his voice venomous, "who?"  
  
Her auburn eyes, shining with tears, met his red-rimmed, flashing emerald ones. Then, before he could block her, she lunged forward, and grabbed the sleeve of his robe, pulling it upward, and thus revealing all of the scars, new and old, that ran along his arm.  
  
"You."  
  
----  
  
A/N: okay, well, there you go! Now, I know, you are all reading this and going...okay, so they're just talking while this big fight is going on RIGHT OUTSIDE? Don't worry; I'll get to that in the next chapter!  
  
Thanks to all that reviewed:  
  
Crystalstorm21- new chappie up! Hope you liked it!!  
  
Fantasy101- Updated! ! Hope you liked this one!  
  
Dea Puella- lol! Oh, ya...no Draco...I'll dedicate another one to you when Draco is in it! ((I already have one in mind...))  
  
Elven Warrior1- MUAHAHAHAHAHA, this is only the start of the cliffies!!  
  
Sheree- lol, me too- the Harry/Draco thing. I'll probably address that in the next chapter...well, we know where Draco is, lol. Some slytherin's are there...lol  
  
SarkLover- There you go, new chappie! This one was dedicated to you! Lol, I know...I would seriously die. I'm not sure what kind I would get ((like what it would look like)) I'd get one on my shoulder I think.  
  
p0l- Oh, I love angst too, loL! Thanks! P.S. - I'm trying...hope you like it okay.  
  
Hiei's fiancee- New chappie, Harry's alright, for now, BWUAHAHAHA!!!  
  
DeathzBeauty- Thank you! I hope you liked this chapter!!  
  
Riley Riddle- lol, I liked your review! Hope you liked this one as well!  
  
----  
  
To them, and everyone else, Please review!! 


	8. The Killing Curse

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Harry Potter.  
  
A/N: Okay, everyone, I'm back! Sorry it took me awhile! I'd better update soon, or I may be killed.  
  
Rain: MUAHAHAHA!  
  
Not by you, Rain.  
  
This chapter is dedicated to Elven Warrior1, because I know she will HATE me for this chapter, as she hates cliffies!!   
  
When we left him...  
  
Hermione, he eyes on the floor, whispered, as though to the wind, and not to Harry, "You're wrong, Harry. I have seen someone I love, and care about so much that I would give my life for theirs die before my eyes...without being able to do anything."  
  
"Oh yeah?" Harry whispered, his voice venomous, "who?"  
  
Her auburn eyes, shining with tears, met his red-rimmed, flashing emerald ones. Then, before he could block her, she lunged forward, and grabbed the sleeve of his robe, pulling it upward, and thus revealing all of the scars, new and old, that ran along his arm.  
  
"You."  
  
----  
  
Pure  
  
Chapter Eight: The killing Curse  
  
----  
  
Harry's eyes pulled away from hers stained with guilt. He thrust his hand away from hers, forcefully pushing down the sleeve.  
  
"What's so bad, Harry?" She whispered, her voice trembling softly, "What's hurts so badly that you have to do...this...to yourself?"  
  
Meeting her eyes once more, he whispered, his voice full of pain and humiliation, "Everything."  
  
A small tear trickled down her cheek. Harry felt the impulse to reach up, to wipe it away. But he couldn't. He couldn't be there to protect her from everything. He couldn't be there to save her, to be strong for her. He just couldn't.  
  
Not this time.  
  
At the moment that the sad silence set between them, Ron burst into the room, his face flushed.  
  
"They're coming."  
  
----  
  
Harry, Ron, and Hermione rushed through the halls, and out the double doors.  
  
The sight was so...horrible.  
  
Bodies lay broken on the ground, blood staining the white flowers. Some people still fought, their wands held out bravely, spells shouting out of them, despite the tears that ran down their cheeks. Others had stopped fighting, stopped...believing...completely. Some just sat on the ground, kneeling over dead friends, loved ones, relatives, crying, hugging limp bodies to them.  
  
Only the beginning....  
  
Immediately, they were attacked. Harry quickly fought off the two Death Eaters, sending them to the ground momentarily. Some people that had fallen to the floor now pulled themselves up, hopeful eyes lingering on Harry, who had come back to fight with them.  
  
Their savior.  
  
Hermione, one last sad, lingering glance at Harry, disappeared into the crowd, gone to fight her own battle. Ron, smiling a slightly confused smile, nodded his head towards Harry, and turned away too, gone after a hooded stranger.  
  
And Harry was alone.  
  
Spells were cast, bodies hit the ground.  
  
Something in Harry sparked every time he saw someone fall, Death Eater or otherwise. Some confusion, some interest in the deceased.  
  
A part of him longed to know what was beyond that barrier, the unknown death. A part of him wondered what truly happened. The last shaking breath, the smile lain upon their lips as they fell.  
  
Peace.  
  
He wondered what it would be like to fall in battle, fighting bravely, but a final spell catching you at last. A part of him longed to see the light, to rid this world, stained with the blackness of hate, the crimson of blood.  
  
To see his parents again, to see a world beyond this one, a world better than this one, an unknown world.  
  
Unknown.  
  
And that is what stopped him. That was the reason he did not cut his wrists, did not simply lie down and let himself die in the midst of the battle. The mysterious other side, the place where everyone went after the death.  
  
The questions that could never be answered. Where they happy? Where they safe? Where they with their loved one? Or...where they alone?  
  
The questions that he would never know the answers to, that no one could answer...because no one had come back to tell the tale.  
  
But, perhaps, it was the first half of him, the half that wanted to know what death was like, the half that wanted to know what lay beyond this world that made him do what he did.  
  
It started with Draco.  
  
He saw him across the yard, fighting off two Death Eaters. He saw his concentration slipping, the beads of sweat running down his face as he tried in vain to save himself. And then he felt himself do it.  
  
He felt his legs running to him, his body moving involuntarily. He felt himself positioning next to Draco, his wand held high.  
  
Draco took the first Death Eater. With Harry by his side, fighting the other, it did not take much to kill him. Harry, of course, killed the second with ease.  
  
And then he saw it.  
  
A third Death Eater, gliding towards Draco, behind him...he could not see him. He saw the Death Eater's wand lifting into the air, the words murmured, the bright green light shooting out of his wand.  
  
And then he did it.  
  
He grabbed Draco's shoulder, pushing him to the ground. He saw him land on the blood stained grass, his eyes wide as he saw what was coming towards Harry, what was about to hit him. Harry turned slowly...  
  
And the killing curse hit him in the chest.  
  
----  
  
A/N: MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I told you the cliffie's were just beginning!! So, now, if I just STOPPED WRITING this fic altogether, just left it like this, would u kill me? ((Like I would!))  
  
Thanks to all those who reviewed...  
  
Riley Riddle- AHHH! Not the evil flobberworms!! runs and hides  
  
Emeline- Well, I love making people sad!! Lol, jk, jk!  
  
Hp-Azn- Thanks, hoped you liked this chapter!!  
  
Mandie- Oh wow, thanks, I was nervous about the emotions, because I got a review saying that there wasn't enough emotion in this fic!! Oh, yes, writing a book is very hard, I've written 2 so far ((they are hopefully better than this fic )) but its fun!!  
  
Hiei's fiancee- Lol, thank you! I know, exams suck...US History should be okay for me, ((although my teacher, Bratrud, is evil...)) But math and science ((which I have on the same day, Wahoo!!)) is gonna kill me!!  
  
MissBellaDonna- Lol thanks!!  
  
Crystalstorm21- Thanks! New one up soon! ((I hope...exams...))  
  
Elven Warrior1- Big cliffie...please don't kill me!! I dedicated this one to you, just because I knew you would love it so!   
  
Sesshomaruinluv- .:sob:.  
  
Tara Potter101- lol, I know, I love dark fics too!!  
  
Chrisoriented-lol, I hope that was a LOVE!! 


	9. Harry

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Harry Potter!!  
  
A/N: Hey everyone! I'm back!! A lot of people were interested to find out what happened to Harry, lol! OH! Last time, I forgot to say: We made it over the 7 mark!! ((Normally I write stories with 7 chapters))  
  
And OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!!!! I have 96 reviews!! DO YOU KNOW HOW HUGE THAT IS FOR ME?? I love you, all my reviewers!! gives out hugs and candy THANK YOU SO MUCH!!  
  
Well, here we go!! I hope everyone likes it!!  
  
This chappie is dedicated to Riley Riddle, who is threatening me to continue on pain of Flooberworms shudder  
  
Don't worry; I would NEVER abandon this fic!!  
  
----  
  
When we left them...  
  
He grabbed Draco's shoulder, pushing him to the ground. He saw him land on the blood stained grass, his eyes wide as he saw what was coming towards Harry, what was about to hit him. Harry turned slowly...  
  
And the killing curse hit him in the chest.  
  
----  
  
Pure  
  
Chapter 9: Harry  
  
----  
  
Draco starred in shock and horror at Harry's fallen body. Then he dragged himself over the Harry's limp form.  
  
"Harry..." He whispered softly, pulling his body into his arms and cradling him.  
  
Harry, the boy who he had made fun on him for all of these years...Harry, the boy he had been jealous of...Harry, the savior of the wizarding world...Harry, the boy who lived...Harry...he couldn't be...  
  
Dead....  
  
Draco sobbed into Harry's shoulder. Then, coming to his senses, he pulled out his wand, and shot the killing curse at the Death Eater that had done this to Harry.  
  
Looking around, he realized that they were pushing them back...the Death Eaters were going past the gates...then a magical shield was place around the grounds of Hogwarts, a shield that would last for only a short amount of time...a week perhaps.  
  
When the shield was securely in place, Draco dragged himself back over to Harry, and pulled the limp boy into his lap, the small, crystal tears that fell out of Draco's drowning sliver eyes falling on Harry's face.  
  
Slowly, others made there way to him. Among the first were Ron and Hermione. When they saw Draco huddled over the figure, they ran to him.  
  
"Malfoy, what the fuck-" Ron began, but was cut off when Draco looked up and met his eyes.  
  
Draco's silver eyes were red-rimmed, his cheeks streaked with glimmering tears. His eyes were full of a pain that they had never seen before, a pain so intense...a forlorn, lost pain....  
  
Only Hermione had seen that pain in the eyes of another...in the eyes of Harry.  
  
And then they saw who the body belonged too.  
  
Ron fell to his knees, making his way wordlessly to Draco, tears forming in his eyes. Hermione stood where she was, her legs shaking, tears running down her face...  
  
"He pushed me out of the way..." Draco whispered his voice choking. "Oh, Gods...he pushed me out of the way...It should have been me..."  
  
And then Draco began to sob, sobs that ripped apart his chest, great, heart- wrenching sobs. He whispered softly into Harry's ear, whispering not to go....not to leave...  
  
And then Dumbledore arrived.  
  
He peered over his half-mooned spectacles at the sad sight in front of him. Then he kneeled down in front of the sobbing Draco, the crying Ron and the shocked Hermione, and peered at Harry. Then, smiling slightly, he touched Draco on the shoulder.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy-"  
  
"He saved me...He pushed me out of the way..." he whispered.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy-"  
  
"It should have been me..."  
  
"Mr. MALFOY!" Dumbledore finally shouted, and Draco looked up at him in surprise. "Mr. Potter is breathing."  
  
----  
  
Dumbledore held Harry tightly as they raced down the hallway. Behind him ran Hermione, Ron and Draco.  
  
Hermione glanced sideways at Draco, who was flushed in the face. What was wrong with him? Why was he acting so strangely? He was...crying...when he thought Harry was dead. Up until than, she had thought he was incapable of such a thing. And for Harry's death to be the thing that brought on the unexpected tears...  
  
She just didn't understand.  
  
They reached the hospital wing to be greeted by a flustered Madam Promphrey.  
  
"Dumbledore, honestly, I have too many patients already-" She began; her voice tight, and then she saw who lay in his hands. "Oh my Gods..." She whispered, and quickly found a bed for him.  
  
----  
  
Three people sat around Harry Potter's bed.  
  
Ron, who sat on the right side, holding one of Hermione's hands, and stroking her hair softly, and whispering to her that everything would be alright, that Harry would make it, even though he didn't believe it himself.  
  
Hermione, whose other hand was resting on Harry's, gently rubbing circles into his soft skin, as tears ran down her face. Ron was whispering to her that it would all be alright, that Harry would make it. But she didn't believe him.  
  
And Draco, who sat staring blankly at Harry's expressionless face, eyes shut, lips slightly parted. No tears fell from his eyes now, though he could feel them burning the corners.  
  
Draco was wondering about his reaction to Harry's death. He had cried. It had been years since Draco had truly cried. And it was Harry Potter's death that had made him cry. Harry Potter, who seemed so dead inside. Harry Potter, whose eyes had lost their shine. Harry Potter, who hated him. Harry Potter, who he hated.  
  
Didn't he?  
  
As the three sat there, wondering and waiting in false hope, no one noticed as Harry's mouth moved in a silent scream.  
  
----  
  
Pain was racing through his body, his mind was screaming for it to stop, make it stop, it would kill him, destroy him.  
  
He was falling through a dark abyss, he couldn't see the ground, he would die, he would die...  
  
And than Harry Potter hit the ground.  
  
He didn't know where he was. The last thing he remembered was Draco...  
  
Everything was so black. It looked spacious, but he felt cramped, like he couldn't move. He slowly lowered himself to the ground, and pulled his bloody legs to his chest.  
  
Though Harry Potter did not know it, he had just slipped into a coma.  
  
And he was in his mind.  
  
----  
  
A/N: whew. Bad chapter right there. sigh oh well, sorry, I'm a little off today....exams start in 2 days...oh blah.  
  
Thanks to all who reviewed:  
  
p0l- MUAHAHAHAHHAA, I will! lol  
  
SarkLover- YAY! I'm so happy to hear from you!! ((I thought you might have gotten bored with the story )) I know, exams suck. I don't know how I'm going to make it through this week!  
  
Dea Puella- Lol, don't worry, I'd never abandon this fic!! lol, and I wouldn't press charges. OR WOULD I?? MUAHAHAHAHAHA....((hyper lol))  
  
Chrisoriented- Lol, YES! ((well, no...don't worry. He's alive...for the moment BUAHAHAHA))  
  
Elven Warrior1- Lol, that's a good point! passes out cookies  
  
Riley Riddle- AHHHHHH!! THE FLOOBERWORMS!! NO! My only weakness!! runs away  
  
The Dark Flame- Cliffies are evil ((though I love to write them, lol))  
  
Cera- Evil...muahahahhahaha  
  
ROsE-ofHeL- shakes uhhh...I updated! You can get up now!  
  
Sati White- Lol, thank you! I hope you liked this chapter!  
  
Hiei's fiancee- Lol, I know, I hate it when authors abandon their stories!! Not the wrath of the dragon of the darkness flame!! ((Whew, that's a mouthful!))  
  
Emeline- Lol, no he did not die, and sadly, no they are not a couple...yet.  
  
MissBellaDonna- Lol, I loved your review!!  
  
Crystalstorm21- Hope you liked it!!  
  
Becky- Lol, don't worry, I'll never leave this fic! No, you're not, I do too! lol! ----  
  
To them and everyone else, please review!!  
  
((Don't worry about why he didn't die; I will explain that in another chapter)) 


	10. Harry's Wants

A/N: Sorry, everyone. I know it has taken me a really long time to update! This is going to be a short chapter, because I have writer's block...but hopefully it will be to your liking!!  
  
Rain is not here right now....whew....as she is on vacation...because it is... SUMMER!! YES!! I can't believe school is FINALLY out!! Happy summer to everyone!!   
  
I hope everyone likes this chapter!!  
  
This chapter is dedicated to Silverlie, whose review cracked me up!!   
  
Here we go...FINALLY...  
  
----  
  
Pure  
  
Chapter 10: Harry's wants.  
  
----  
  
Harry sighed. It seemed like he had been in here forever, and he still had no idea where the hell he was, or how he got there.  
  
There was something...somewhere he was supposed to be. Something that he had left, something that he wasn't supposed to leave. If only he could remember...  
  
There was someone there, a face that hung over his mind...but he couldn't make out his face...a boy...who was he...  
  
Draco.  
  
And then the memories hit him.  
  
They sliced through him like a razor, cutting into his insides. Hermione, their fight, the terrible sight of the battle field, the Death Eaters, and then...  
  
Draco.  
  
He had jumped in front of him, saved him from death, saved him...sacrificed himself...  
  
For Draco Malfoy.  
  
Death...was that where he was? Could he be dead? It was a probable idea. The killing curse had hit him...but he had survived once before. What insured that he had not survived again?  
  
Death...  
  
And what if he was dead? What if he had not survived this time, if the curse had finally killed him? What if he was truly dead?  
  
The war...  
  
How would they fend without him? How would they survive, how would they fight, knowing that he was dead?  
  
Their savior...  
  
And then he understood. He understood everything. Why they were so dependent on him, why they looked up to him, why they feared his death more than anyone else's...  
  
Why they feared him?  
  
Did they fear him? He knew they feared his death, they feared losing him, losing their savior. They needed him to survive. But the worry had often crossed his mind, the haughty thought that they feared him, feared what he could become.  
  
Voldemort.  
  
Him, they feared. Some so much that they would join him, rather than stand and fight. They feared his power, what he was. What he had become.  
  
And Harry.  
  
His power, while not as great as Voldemort's, was well on the way. He was much more powerful than some, than most wizards his age, or older. Harry was well aware of that, well aware that he could become as powerful as Voldemort.  
  
But not as evil.  
  
Harry, himself, knew that he could never become like Voldemort, he could not become as horrible as him. Because he had seen what he had done. He had seen what terror Voldemort had brought, what pain, what suffering. So he knew he could never be like him.  
  
But the others...  
  
They didn't know. They couldn't know. And so...yes, they were scared of him. They were dependent on him, on his power to save him...but they were scared.  
  
But not all.  
  
Draco.  
  
He had looked into his eyes before, seen inside of him. He knew. Something about Draco...told Harry he knew; he knew everything that he was going through...and he knew what Harry would become.  
  
And he did not fear it.  
  
Because he knew there was nothing to fear.  
  
Was that why he had saved him? Risked his own life-and possibly given it- for this boy that had tortured him so? Because he was the only one that could see the truth? Was that why he had done it?  
  
Had he wanted Draco to live? Had he wanted him to survive? Or had he simply wanted to show everyone that he was not as bad as they thought that he would not become the one they feared? That he would risk his lives for ones that would not do the same, that he was a good person?  
  
What did he want?  
  
He did not know anymore. He used to know, back when he was young. Back when the world made sense. But now...he was lost. Lost in the darkness of his life and he didn't know what he wanted anymore.  
  
And that, above everything, scared Harry. Again, he had the feeling that Draco went deeper than the facade he put on.  
  
His mixed feelings about Draco worried him. He had always known what he felt about Draco, the old Draco. Always known what he wanted. He had always wanted the old Draco to suffer for what he had done to him. He had always wanted the old Draco to perish, to be dragged down by his own sins, dragged into his own darkness, much like where Harry was now.  
  
But...  
  
Now he did not know what he wanted with this new Draco. He knew he did not want him to suffer. He knew he did not want him to die. He knew...that he would give his life to save him. He wanted this new Draco...to help him. He wanted this new Draco to save him, to help him out of the darkness, to help him find the light. He wanted this new Draco to be beside him when he showed them all who he really was, he true side, impure but nothing to be frightened of. He wanted this new Draco to help him. He wanted....  
  
Oh, God...  
  
He wanted this new Draco to love him.  
  
----  
  
A/N: MUAHAHAHAHAHA, the slash is beginning! I'm sure everyone will be happy about that!! Thank you all for reading, chapter 11 should be up MUCH QUICKER than chapter 10! Sorry for the delay!!  
  
Thanks to all that reviewed:  
  
Elebereth- Slash begins...NOW!! I hope you liked this chapter, it does signify the beginning of the slashyness!!  
  
Riley Riddle- Thank you, I did well on my exams!! Don't worry, the a coma won't last long! I just needed it to...well, you'll see soon! LIKE him? LIKE him?! No, no, of COURSE NOT!! --cough cough sputter sputter-- hehe...--backs up from flobberworms, who still tower over her...from a respectable distance, of course--  
  
Son of twilight- AHHH! As I have NO INTENTION of dying, I think I'd better continue!  
  
inu400- Hope you liked this one!  
  
Silverlie- Loved your review! I hope you liked this chapter, as it was dedicated to you!  
  
mistik-elf13- Lol, I really liked your review! Don't worry, I wont leave it there! Or here, lol!  
  
Shadowed Rains- Yes, that was an old Mc Donalds commercial...hmm, I suddenly really want a hamburger...lol. I know, I didn't like slash very much either, but...after awhile...I started to love it, and that, well, progressed into this! What do you mean your FAKE self? As much as I love a nice, ditzy review, I'd much rather have you as your REAL self!  
  
Emeline- Thank you, I think I did well on my exams! Sorry this one was so short!  
  
SarkLover- Don't worry all will be revealed in time...mauahahahaha!! Good, I'm glad you're not giving up on my story; you're one of my favorite reviewers! I know I HATE exams! They're over, though! YAY! How'd you do? Lol.  
  
Hiei's fiancee- Thank you so much! I didn't fail my exams!!!  
  
Vicous Pixie- La la Land...they know me there! Thanks for reviewing!!  
  
To them, thank you for reviewing!!  
  
--Hyperventilates-- I have 111 reviews, I have 111 reviews, I HAVE 111 REVIEWS!!  
  
To them, and everyone else, please review!! Sorry so short! 


	11. Draco's Wants

A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry it took me so long to update, my internet stopped working!! FYI I'm leaving for Mexico in a week, and I won't have the internet, so I'll do my best to update before then!  
  
((Would you kill me if I left you with a HUGE cliffy? MUAHAHA))  
  
To everyone who reviewed and told me: you don't have 1 review! Sorry, my computer must have screwed up, I typed in one-one-one, but it didn't show up that way, apparently. Anyways, what I meant was...  
  
I HAVE A HUNDERED AND ELEVEN REVIEWS!!  
  
And I have more...but we'll get to that later!  
  
I would like to remind everyone that this IS slash, and that it IS partly romance...sooo....if you don't like that, don't read the fic!!   
  
This Chapter is dedicated to Shadowed Rains, whose review I loved, and who reminds me a ton of, well, me.  
  
Anyways, here we go, again!  
  
----  
  
Pure  
  
Chapter 11: Draco's wants.  
  
----  
  
Draco nodded to Madame Promphey as he walked into the hospital wing. She barely acknowledged him. Since Harry had been admitted, two weeks ago, he had been there everyday. He felt it was his obligation, since Harry had taken the killing curse for him.  
  
But, although Draco did not know it, it was much, much more than that.  
  
The war was still going, of course, but the students were able to sustain the Death Eaters...for the time being.  
  
Draco breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that neither Ron, nor Hermione were there. They had been watching him like a hawk, as though they were scared that he would do something to hurt him.  
  
Never.  
  
He pulled up a chair, and sat down next to Harry's bed. The small boy had already lost a few pounds. They were feeding him, through the use of magic, of course, but the food did not fill him as real food would. His brow was sweaty, as it often got. Madame Pomphrey suggested that he could be having nightmares. Harry's eyes were shut, his complexion pasty, and his hair, of course, messy. Draco watched as Harry's chest rose and fell steadily.  
  
God, that first week after Harry had been omitted here, Draco was so scared. He sat by Harry's bed, unwanted tears prickling at the corners of his sleep-deprived eyes.  
  
All his fault, all his fault.  
  
He was so scared that Harry would die, that he would leave everyone, leave them alone, without their savior. He was so scared that he would....  
  
That he would leave him alone.  
  
And that mystified him. Why? Why was he scared that Harry would die? Scared that he would leave him alone? Truth be told, he had never really cared what happened to scar head. Always soaking up the glory, that one, always basking in the rays of his own private sun.  
  
And Draco hated him for that.  
  
Hated him for being better than him, hated him for knowing it, hated him for being so damn arrogant, so damn self-confident, so damn...  
  
But he was wrong.  
  
He knew that know. He knew it the moment he looked into Harry's eyes, that first day after the train incident. He knew that everything he had ever thought about Harry was wrong. He wasn't any of those things. He was just a boy with a scar on his head, and so, was compelled to carry the unwanted burden.  
  
The burden of being Harry Potter.  
  
Draco was scared. He was scared of losing Harry. He knew that, though he would not let other's show it. But why? The question still puzzled him. Yes, he knew that Harry was not any of the things that he once thought he was. But there was something else...  
  
Again, Draco thought of Harry's eyes. That day, when he looked into the emerald eyes of Harry Potter, he saw so much more than he had expected to see. He saw everything. Pain, hate, hurt. He saw the way Harry cried inside, the way he hurt inside. He saw everything that he wasn't supposed to see.  
  
The pain of his grandfather's death, the pain of losing him, the pain of being Harry Potter, the pain of fighting, of seeing things that no one should ever see. The hurt...the way it hurt when others looked at him, whispered to one another "That's Harry Potter!" The way it hurt, feeling so alone. The way Draco hurt him. He saw the hate. The hate of the Death Eaters, of Voldemort, of everyone who had done anything to take the one's he loved away from him, the ones that hurt him. He did not see the hate of himself.  
  
In Harry's eyes, he saw that he did not hate him.  
  
But there was another thing missing from Harry's eyes. Love. He lacked love, the will to love, the strength to love, the person to love, the feeling of being loved. He was alone.  
  
Draco didn't want him to be alone. Not anymore.  
  
Before he had looked into Harry's eyes, hell, that morning as he got ready to go back to Hogwarts, he knew what he wanted for Harry Potter.  
  
He wanted him to suffer, wanted him to suffer for everything. Wanted him to relive the pain of losing his parents again and again, wanted him to lose everything, wanted him to lose his fame, his glory, his friends. Wanted him to lose. He wanted to be better than him, to finally be the victor over the famous Harry Potter.  
  
But then he looked into his eyes.  
  
And as he did that, everything he had ever wanted for him melted away. As he saw everything that Harry kept inside, all the tears he cried, all the pain he felt, he lost the will to hate Harry Potter.  
  
Draco looked over at the still form of Harry, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall once more.  
  
He didn't hate him.  
  
He couldn't.  
  
Why had Harry done it? Why had he sacrificed himself for Draco's sake? Thousands were dying, and Harry could have saved any one of them. Why Draco? And more importantly, why hadn't Harry died?  
  
Dumbledore wasn't a help. All he said was "Same reason as before, Mr. Malfoy." with a twinkle in his eyes.  
  
Damn man, always speaking in riddles.  
  
And because Harry had done it, and because Draco had looked into his eyes that first day, he didn't know what he wanted.  
  
He certainly didn't want Harry to die, or even suffer. He didn't want anything bad to happen to Harry. He wanted to be there, to protect Harry from everything. He wanted to help Harry, wanted to save him. He wanted...  
  
Oh, God....  
  
He wanted Harry to love him.  
  
----  
  
A/N: Hehe, sound familiar? So they both want the same thing, but will they ever figure it out? And when will Harry get out of this damn coma? Guess you'll just have to wait and see!   
  
Thanks to all who reviewed:  
  
Mandie- lol, Thank you I liked your review! Yes, if I stopped at chapter 7, it would have been a very, very odd story ((not that it isn't already, lol))  
  
p0l- lol, of course there's romance! This is a slash fic!  
  
Crystalstorm21- Thanks, sorry it took so long!  
  
Elebereth- Wahoo, let the slash begin!!  
  
Shadowed Rains- lol, sorry, I meant cheese burger. It's not pathetic at all, and really, I know exactly what you're talking about. I do the same thing. Everyone expects me to be upbeat and preppy, so that's what I am around them. But that's not who I really am...not at all. Ha, you think I'm insane now, don't you?  
  
Dea Puella- Lol, slashie! Ugh, June 21? That sucks ass. You ran in 75 degrees? Man, that's nice weather! You don't consider that hot, right? lol, where the hell do you live, I need to move there. 97 here, every damn day.  
  
Emeline- Yuck, everyone isn't off school yet! Maybe it's just us. You guys don't live in the upper US do you? Or perhaps another country...  
  
devilsfire Thanks! WAHOO the slash starts!! Draco/Harry rocks  
  
sweetfrv- Yay, it was a good opinion! Whew. lol, I love Draco/Harry! It's addicting...  
  
mistik-elf13- Inquiring minds know now! And are they happy with the results?  
  
Yuki Kurai- Lol, sorry, that was meant to be one hundred and eleven. lol, slash rocks!  
  
ILoveHarryDracoSlash- Lol, hot stuff! Snogging soon, or atleast some very emotional parts...and then snogging! MUAHAHAHA  
  
Silverlie- Lolol, sugar high? I LOVED your review! You remind me of my friend, Christy. ((That's a compliment, lol)) SLASH!!  
  
Hiei's fiancee- Yuck. Wait, it's been a week, right? ARE YOU OUT? SLASH!! WAHOO  
  
labpotter- Slash, muahahahahaha!! lol, thank you!  
  
SarkLover- Yuck! Are you done with them now ((well, duh)) I mean, are you done with school now? lol  
  
Thanks to them, and to them and everyone else, PLEASE REVIEW!!  
  
Man, it took me eleven chapters to finally get the slash beginning! How long shall I take until they realize each other's feelings? MAUAHAHAHAHAHA!  
  
JK!  
  
Please review! 


	12. Premonition

A/N: Hey, I know it's been forever since I've updated, there will be a little on that at the bottom. This chappie has a bit of a cliffie , but don't worry, I aim to updated fast!  
  
Has anyone seen Rain?  
  
I hope everyone likes this chappie! It is dedicated to: Emeline! ((not because you wanted one dedicated to you...well, yes, but I was also going to dedicate it to you anyways ))  
  
----  
  
Pure  
  
Chapter 12: Premonition  
  
----  
  
How long had it been now? Days? Months? Weeks? Years? Maybe it hadn't even been a day. Harry couldn't tell. Every second passed like an hour. The darkness seemed never ending. Harry sometimes wondered down, into the darkness, but when he stopped to turn around, he couldn't tell if he had walked miles, or if he had even left the place that he had started at.  
  
All that Harry knew was he didn't like wherever he was. He didn't like the darkness, the silence. That was the one thing that Harry truly feared.  
  
Silence.  
  
Not the silence of an ocean, the silence of gentle waves breaking on the shore. Not the silence of the wind, the silence of the breeze softly ruffling the leaves. True silence. A box, a cage, where there was no noise. Bare walls, nothing to focus on. Just silence.  
  
Silence, where there was nothing but you. Silence, where you were left alone with your thoughts. Silence, where there wasn't anything but you, and your flaws. And the mask that you had put on, the mask that fooled everyone else could not fool you.  
  
Just you, silence, and your flaws.  
  
And your memories.  
  
For that was truly all Harry could focus on. His flaws and his memories. Every scar that ran through him, internal or external. The darkness that had consumed him, the darkness that ran through him, the poison darkness of his blood.  
  
And the memories.  
  
Every scar, every flaw tied into a memory. And then there were the images. The image of the flash of green light that killed his parents, the voice of his mother screaming. The image of Sirius, his eyes still laughing as he fell through the veil. He saw his friends falling, their eyes blank, as curses hit them. He saw the blood spilt over the ground, the blood of his friends and his mixed together.  
  
The blood that he had spilt.  
  
And the worse image was the one he saw every time he closed his eyes, the image that haughted him constantly.  
  
Draco.  
  
He was always there. His silver blue eyes, the ones that seemed to look through Harry, look into him. The blonde hair that he had grown, that loosely fell into his eyes. The lips that Harry had never seen smile, only smirk.  
  
The question haunted Harry every moment; it was always there, hovering in the back of his mind: Would he ever see Draco again?  
  
Sometimes, he didn't know if he wanted to. What would Draco do? How would he react? Harry-his worst enemy-had saved his life.  
  
He knew Draco would as why. What he did not know is what he would say when the question came. How could he answer with out Harry giving away the truth?  
  
The truth that he loved him.  
  
For Harry had decided not to tell Draco. He knew the way Draco felt, the way Draco had always felt. And he knew that Draco did not feel the same way. So, no, he would not tell Draco his feelings.  
  
He would never tell Draco.  
  
But, before Harry could decide what he would tell Draco, he felt himself being pulled backwards. He gracefully dived, parallel to the ground. He could feel his body becoming weightless. And then, suddenly, he was whirled backwards, his hair was being blown, and he shut his eyes to keep the biting wind from reaching them.  
  
And then, as suddenly as it had started, it stopped. He felt his feet connect with the ground. He felt his feet slip, saw the bed next to him, and held out his hand to stop the impact. But it never came.  
  
He fell right through the bed.  
  
His heart pumping wildly, he pulled himself up, and looked around. He was in the hospital wing. And on the bed he had just fallen through...  
  
Was himself.  
  
An out of body experience? His heart told him no. But then, what was it...  
  
Suddenly, the figure's eyes opened, and Harry gasped. He was...awake?  
  
He heard a voice across the room, but the voice was soft, blurred, as though the speaker was yelling to him underwater. Turning slowly, he saw it was Madame Pomphrey.  
  
"Mr. Potter!" The words reached Harry's ears slowly. He could see her lips form the words, parting slowly as each syllable left her mouth. "You're awake!"  
  
Then Harry felt the same sensation he had before, but this time he was being pulled forward. He tried in vain to stop, to stay behind with his body, but the force was too strong. He could not make out anything around him. He could hear the voices, slurred as he rushed past them.  
  
And then he stopped.  
  
He fell to the ground again. Then, pulling himself up, he realized who he was standing in front of.  
  
Hermione and Ron.  
  
He felt the anger surge through him when he saw Hermione, their last encounter fresh in his mind. She turned to Ron and said breezily, "We should go see Harry."  
  
Ron nodded, scowling. "Haven't been able to get a moment alone with him, what with that git Draco near him at all times."  
  
Harry was barely able to contemplate that Draco was not by his bed when he woke, when he was pushed forward. He lost sight of Ron and Hermione as everything became a blur once more. He vaguely realized that he had turned two corners. Then, suddenly, he stopped.  
  
He realized where he was at once. The kitchens. To the right of him was the painting of the fruit. And there, in front of him was...Draco.  
  
Harry longed to reach out to him, though he knew Draco could not see him. Then a flash of movement caught the corner of his eye. Turning slowly, he saw what he had feared. A cloaked Death Eater, their wand pointing menacingly at Draco.  
  
Harry ran to the Death Eater, fully aware that he could not stop him, but still trying to do so. He watched the Death Eater's mouth form the horrid words and the green light shoot out of his wand.  
  
And then Draco fell.  
  
Harry couldn't move. He stared at the fallen, crumpled form of Draco, his heart pounding in his ears.  
  
It was then that he realized what this was. Not an out of body experience, no, but it was something of the supernatural.  
  
A premonition.  
  
He was being pulled backwards now, away from Draco, away from the kitchens, away from the Death Eater. He was moving backwards, and everything was becoming a blur once more.  
  
Suddenly, everything stopped. He was in darkness once more. Then, suddenly, pain shot through his body. He couldn't breathe, couldn't think. The pain was circulating through him, his mouth was open in a scream, but nothing was coming out.  
  
He fell to the ground, withering, his arms clutched to his chest. Another jolt of pain shot through him, and he arched his back...  
  
And shot up in bed.  
  
Harry Potter had woken up.  
  
He turned to see Madame Pomphrey staring at him in shock.  
  
"Mr. Potter! You're awake!"  
  
----  
  
A/N: Okay! A bit of a cliffhanger.  
  
Alright, I am so sorry that I have not updated. We were supposed to go to Mexico this week, but then, on Tuesday, we got word that my Great Grandmother had died, and I just didn't feel like writing ((sorry!)) and on Wednesday, we flew to her funeral, and stayed there for a week. I'm so sorry it's taken me so long!! I'll try to be faster next time!  
  
Thanks to all that reviewed:  
  
SarkLover- lol thanks! Yay, school's out! Wyoming, cool. Did you have fun?  
  
Tara Potter101- lol! He's out of the coma! But now we have bigger problems!!  
  
MyGildedCage- Thank you so much! I hope you liked this chapter!  
  
Mistik-elf13- Inquiring minds' questions are answered! But now what about Draco...bump bump BUM  
  
Celedriel-greenleaf- Lol, I loved your review! New chappie, yay! Hopefully the next one will be up sooner!  
  
Riley Riddle- Well, it wasn't ASAP, but I hoped you liked it! AHHHHH!!! retreats from intimidating Flobberworms  
  
Mandie- Lol! I've posted! And hopefully the next post won't take so long!  
  
Serenity Slytherin- Kool, thank you, I'll check that out!  
  
The Wing Master- I'll finish, I'm just not sure when...lol! Hopefully sooner than later  
  
Dea Puella- New England! I want to live there! You suck! ! Well, that didn't exactly happen...but soon, soon...  
  
Crystalstorm21- Hope you liked it!  
  
Kitsune-fa-Toren- Lol, well I'm taking that as a compliment I loved angst  
  
Son of twilight- Lol, thank you! I hope you liked this chapter! Mexico won't happen until late July...change of plans!   
  
Hiei's fiancee- Well he's out of a coma, but now what?! MUAHAHAHAHAHA! Yes, I meant Godfather, sorry! Don't worry; Mexico won't be until late July ((change of plans since Great Grandmother died))  
  
ROsE-ofHeL- Yes, the plot thickens, MUAHAHAHAHAHA!  
  
p0l- Lol, I'll sue! Jk! Thanks!  
  
Emeline- Lol, you envy my talent? What talent? Lol. This chapter was dedicated to you! I hope you liked it!   
  
Elebereth- Lol, well they realized it, but now when will they act upon it! Now THAT could take ages! Lol jk!  
  
Elven Warrior1- Uh oh, this was a cliffie wasn't it? bites nails  
  
Silverlie- LOL, your review made me laugh!! I hope you liked this chapter! The next one will be up sooner, but don't hold your breath! YOU NEED TO BREATHE!!  
  
Shadowed Rains- Lol, no it's fine that you wrote about yourself. Yes, I get a double cheese bugger too! But I get mine plain, instead of with everything on it. yes, I know what you mean...Well, I hope you liked this chapter!  
  
To them, and everyone else, please review! I will update soon! 


	13. It Comes True

A/N: Okay, I'm back! Sorry it took so long to update! Family Reunion...Wahoo...  
  
To answer a question before we get started: Yes, Harry's premonition did show the future.  
  
I had a bit of trouble writing this chapter, so I hope it isn't too awful....bites nails  
  
Rain: You'd better make him save Draco.  
  
Me: Rain...you like him?  
  
Rain: Well, yeah. He puts on a cruel, cold, bad ass, rude mask. What's not to like?  
  
Me: Uhh...But Rain, that's just a mask.  
  
Rain: Don't ruin this for me!  
  
This chapter is dedicated to Tara Potter101 whose review I loved, and who really, really made me want a slushie...lol!  
  
----  
  
Pure  
  
Chapter 13: It Comes True  
  
----  
  
Harry felt his breath catch in his throat as he heard Madame Pomphrey's words. The premonition...  
  
Draco.  
  
He through off the blanket that covered him, and his bare feet hit the floor. He ran past Madame Pomphrey, ignoring her yells of protest and confusion. He raced down the corridors, and then stopped, realizing he had no idea where he was going.  
  
Where was Draco in the premonition? Something caught his memory...something familiar. The pear. The painting.  
  
The kitchen.  
  
He turned, and hurled himself down the corridor to his right. He heard voices as he ran...he was running towards them.  
  
The first voice that met his ears was female, a familiar voice.  
  
Hermione.  
  
"We should go see Harry." She said, just as she had in the premonition, her words breezy, showing no sign of their last encounter  
  
Harry could almost visualize the scowl on Ron's face. He murmured the words along with him. "Haven't been able to get a moment alone with him, what with that git Draco near him at all times."  
  
Harry kept running, turning the corner quickly, and barely missing the two. Both of them stared at him in shock.  
  
"Harry!" The words came out of Ron's mouth, but they were distant. Harry was already turning another corner.  
  
Whether they were following him or not was a mystery to Harry. He could not hear their footsteps, even if they were behind him. The disbelieving stares of the other students as he sped past them had faded away. There was but one thing on his mind. One person.  
  
Draco.  
  
Oh Gods, what if he didn't make it in time? What if he couldn't save him? He would never be able to tell him how he felt, never be able to hold him in his arms, tell him he was sorry, so sorry for everything, tell him that he loved him...  
  
No.  
  
He pushed to thoughts from his mind. He could not focus on the haughty 'what ifs' now. He had to get to Draco. He had to save him. He had to stop that Death Eater.  
  
He had to...  
  
Suddenly, a form stepped in front of him, blocking his path. It took a moment for Harry to realize who was standing in front of him, although he was staring right into his face. And when his numb brain came back into action, he felt his heart sink.  
  
Snape.  
  
Snape, whose sneer, plastered across his face, was enough to tell Harry one thing: He was in trouble.  
  
"Why, Mr. Potter" Snape said, dragging out the words slowly, "It seems that you have woken up."  
  
Harry nodded quickly, straining to see around the bulk that was his most hated Professor.  
  
"Yes, yes," Snape continued, "I was in my classroom, grading papers, when I was torn away by a very disgruntled Madame Pomphrey, telling me that you had awoken and had gone racing out of the room in a state of frenzy."  
  
Harry nodded again, not listening to a thing that Snape said. This hadn't been in the premonition. What could that mean? Did that mean it was too late? Was Draco already dead? He strained to remember everything Trelawney had taught them about premonitions. While he did this, however, Snape continued to talk.  
  
"So I had to stop grading, and come out here, looking for you. Now, tell me, Mr. Potter, what could be so important that you had to rip me away from my school business to come gallivanting down the halls, after you?"  
  
Harry said nothing, as he had just remembered what he had been taught. A premonition does not show everything that will happen, just some of the things on the way.  
  
Time, Harry remembered, had sped up while he was getting his premonition. It was, of course, possible that this had happened, and he was just not quick enough to catch it.  
  
But he wasn't going to take that chance.  
  
"Professor, I really-" He began, but was cut off quickly by the skid of squeaky shoes behind him. He turned slowly, dreading what was behind him.  
  
Ron and Hermione. Followed closely by Madame Pomphrey.  
  
"See?" Hermione said, and Harry found himself hating her more and more by the moment, "I told you he ran down this way."  
  
Madame Pomphrey nodded, and walked briskly towards the Professor and the student. "Mr. Potter, I do not know what caused you to run out like that, but I must insist that you get into bed. Now."  
  
Harry shook his head quickly, looking around, trying to find an escape.  
  
"I mean it, Mr. Potter," she continued, "now let's go!"  
  
Her hand darted out quickly, reaching for him, but Harry ducked, and she caught Snape by the robes. Seeing his escape, Harry ducked under her out stretched arm, and ran past Snape.  
  
He could hear the echoes of their shoes as they followed him down the twisting corridor, but they became fainter and fainter until they faded away all together.  
  
He skidded across the floor, knocking over a few first years that looked at him with surprise, but kept running. To his side, he heard a gasp of shock, and turned his head slightly to see Professor McGonagall staring at him.  
  
He increased his speed.  
  
He had to get there in time...he just had to.  
  
He could see it in his mind, the scene played over and over. The horrible words coming out of the Death Eaters mouth, the jet of green light hitting Draco in the back.  
  
And then he had fallen.  
  
His body collapsing, lying crumpled on the floor, his blonde hair strewn around his face, his silver-blue eyes open, staring blankly in shock. His lips parted slightly, opened in what would have been a gasp, perhaps a scream. His skin, pale, as always, but now, white pale from shock. His legs crumpled under him, his arms strewn on the floor, his right hand in a fist, grasping at nothing.  
  
He had to get there.  
  
He had to stop it.  
  
The kitchen was a turn away. He knew the others were somewhere behind him, but he didn't care.  
  
He skidded to a stop. Draco was still standing. He had made it.  
  
Or had he?  
  
The Death Eater was some feet in front of him. Neither had noticed Harry standing there. Draco's lifeless faced shot through his mind once more. He wanted to call out, to warn Draco, but nothing would escape his lips.  
  
The scene was playing in slow motion. The Death Eater was raising his wand, pointing it at Draco's back. Draco was still oblivious that he was there.  
  
Harry rummaged around the pockets of his pants. Where was his wand? Oh, please let it be there, don't let them have taken it...Why hadn't he checked before? Oh please, please, please let it be there...  
  
"Avada Kervada!"  
  
And for the second time that day, Harry Potter watched as Draco Malfoy crumpled to the ground.  
  
----  
  
A/N: MUAHAHAHAHA! Cliffie! Okay, just keep reading!! I know there will probably be some questions like:  
  
How did this Death Eater get into the castle, if everyone was awake? Don't you think some one would notice an evil, cloaked stranger wandering the halls?  
  
Why did the Death Eater go after Draco?  
  
WILL YOU EVER TELL US WHY HARRY DIDN'T DIE??  
  
Don't worry, #1 will be revealed in the next chapter, and numbers 2 and 3 will be told soon!   
  
Now, I bet a lot of you are going, WILL YOU JUST END THE DAMN STORY ALREADY?!  
  
Well, if that is the case, I'm sorry. You can't forget that this story takes place during the war, and I can't just end it with ol' Voldie out there destroying the world, now can I?  
  
Thanks to all who reviewed:  
  
Becky- Lol, that's alright! Harry and Draco...maharaja, you'll just have to see! And Hermione, yes, of course Harry will say something to her! MUAHAHAHA!  
  
Emeline- Lol, I'm glad you liked the chapter dedicated to you! suspense...oh yeah. Check out this cliffie, lol! I bet you don't suck!  
  
Silverlie- (Hugs) Oh, that's alright! Thank you, I loved your review! I was cracking up! My friend was reading it over my shoulder, and she doesn't know I write fanfics, so she thought I was insane, loL!  
  
Dea puella- Lol, I'm sorry for your loss. That review was just fine, though! Yes, yes, happily ever after with some kisses. Sure...mUAHAHAHAHA!  
  
Hiei's fiancee- Thank you, she was 96 so it's okay. Sorry it took me so long! Yes, it was the future. And with him dying...welllll...  
  
Elebereth- Thank you, hope you liked this chapter!  
  
p0l- I hope so! I hope this one was too! Counter sue?! gasp How?! On what charges??!  
  
Shadowed Rains- Lol! Thank you, I hope you liked this one too!  
  
Crystalstorm21- YAy! Thank you!  
  
Tara Potter101- LOL! I now want a slushie...lol. I hope you liked this one! Will Draco die? Hmm...Wellll...  
  
SarkLover- Ah. Deer Antlers. Fun. I went to a family reunion in a little place down in Kosse, Texas, and this was how small it was: Around 300 people, maybe smaller. You could walk downtown, b/c it was about 1 or 2 blocks from the houses. Downtown was 5 shops!! There was no mall, and the movies were 45 min away! AHHHH! I would die if I lived there! Lol! And the question now is...what possessed me to leave you with THIS cliffhanger? MUAHAHAHA!  
  
Lioma - Formerly Darth Flirt- LOLOL, I'm glad you liked my slash!  
  
Riley Riddle- Awww, cute Flobberworms...walks up to pet flobberoworms and nearly gets hand bitten off. Uhhh...maybe not. MUAHAHAHA, the cliffies!  
  
Labpotter- AHHH NOT THE EVIL MONSTER! WHAT WILL HE DO TO ME?! WHAT WILL HE DOOO?!  
  
Marblez- Sorry it took so long, hope you like it!  
  
Elven Warrior1- Good, I hope your on you're feet for this one!   
  
Thanks to everyone, and please keep reviewing!  
  
I know this was a HUGE cliffie, MUAHAHAHAHAH! I will do my best to update much sooner! 


	14. Living a Lie

A/N: Well, I'm back! Sorry it took so long. Well here's the bad news. I'll be gone for a month, with no internet! I'm leaving tomorrow...and I should be packing ...but I decided it would just be evil to leave you with that cliffy! Keep in mind, I'll have my computer with me, and I'll write new chapters while I'm away, so when I come back, I should have a few ready for ya!  
  
This chapter is dedicated to Rebecca, for her wonderful compliment on her review. Thanks so much!  
  
Now, with out any further ado...here is what you've all been waiting for –cough-...  
  
Pure  
  
Chapter 14: Living a Lie  
  
----  
  
Harry stopped breathing.  
  
No, no, he couldn't be dead. The Death Eater...the Death Eater was dead.  
  
Harry lowered his wand.  
  
He had found it, buried in his pocket, and whipped it out in time to yell the horrible words at the Death Eater. But Draco...  
  
Harry watched as Draco slowly pulled himself up, and crawled over to the wall, shaking. His eyes roamed over the dead Death Eater, and then he buried his head in his hands, and pulled his knees tightly to his chest. He did not wonder who had killed the Death Eater, or why the Death Eater had come after him. He was in a state of shock.  
  
That state ended, however, when Harry came over.  
  
Harry knelt down next to Draco, and wrapped his arms around him. Draco immediately tensed, and brought his eyes up, meeting Harry's.  
  
And then he began to sob.  
  
His body fell into Harry's arms, his head on Harry's shoulder. He sobbed into Harry, and Harry held him.  
  
"I-" Draco whispered, his words muffled by his sobs and Harry's shirt, "I thought y-you were going t-to die."  
  
And it was then that Harry realized that Draco was not crying because he had almost died, nor was he crying because he was afraid.  
  
He was crying because Harry was alive.  
  
"I was s-so scared." He whispered, and Harry tightened his grip around him. "I didn't want you to d-die..."  
  
Crystal tears continued to pour out of Draco's silver eyes, and landed on Harry's shoulder.  
  
"It's okay." Harry whispered, into his hair, "It's all okay. I'm okay."  
  
Draco brought his head back up, and met Harry's eyes. Draco's normally pale face was flushed, his cheeks tear-stained. His upper lip was trembling, and his golden hair had fallen into his eyes.  
  
His eyes.  
  
There was so much emotion in them. Pain, relief, sadness, joy. Harry felt himself being drawn into him, drawn into the emotion, drawn away from his own horrible life.  
  
"You saved me." Draco whispered.  
  
Harry looked at the fallen Death Eater. "Well..."  
  
"No." Draco shook his head. "Before. You jumped in front of me. You could have died. B-but you risked your life for me. Why?"  
  
Harry's mouth opened, but nothing came out. He knew why. Because he loved him. But he would not say that. No...  
  
"I-" Harry began, jerkily, but was cut off.  
  
"Mr. Potter!" A shriek shrill came from the hallway, and Harry turned.  
  
Professor McGonagall was in front, followed closely by Snape, then Ron, then a flushed Hermione, and finally a huffing Madame Pomphrey.  
  
They all skidded to a stop when they saw Harry, his arms around a very disgruntled Draco Malfoy. Before they could say anything, however, there was another shriek, this one belonging to Madame Pomphrey.  
  
She was pointing at the Death Eater.  
  
"Somebody had better go get Dumbledore." Ron muttered.  
  
----  
  
Professor Dumbledore arrived on the scene a few minutes later, with Professor McGonagall trailing after him.  
  
Draco and Harry now stood, side by side, standing over the Death Eater.  
  
"Mr. Potter!" Dumbledore, exclaimed, delightedly, when he saw Harry,"You're awake!"  
  
Harry nodded slowly, but said nothing, as Dumbledore was making his way to the Death Eater.  
  
"Headmaster," Hermione inquired, "how could a Death Eater get into the castle? Surely..."  
  
But she was cut off by Dumbledore's hand wave.  
  
"Like this." Dumbledore said, quietly, and pulled off the hood.  
  
Parvati.  
  
Hermione let out a shriek, and quickly covered her mouth with her hands. "A...spy?" She whispered, and Dumbledore nodded.  
  
Hermione turned to Harry. "Harry...how did you know the Death Eater would be here?"  
  
Harry felt the resentment that he held for Hermione grow. How would he explain this one? Luckily, Dumbledore cut in.  
  
"Ah...It has been a very trying day. For all of us. And Mr. Potter needs to get back to the hospital wing. There will be a time for asking questions, but now is not it." He said. But, as they were walking back, Harry caught the twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes. This would not be the end of it.  
  
----  
  
It was later in the day. Most people had come and gone, and now Harry sat up in his bed, idling gazing into space.  
  
He could still feel Draco in his arms, his hot breath against Harry's neck. As soon as he had been brought back to the Hospital Wing, he had begun regretting the way he comforted Draco. Did Draco suspect something?  
  
No. Of course not. Why would he?  
  
It was very hard to convince himself of this, however, especially when he could feel Draco's tears rolling down onto his shoulder.  
  
Harry shook his head. He should sleep. He had been told to sleep. He found it very hard to rest, as he had been "resting" for the last two weeks.  
  
He heard the door open, and turned quickly.  
  
Hermione.  
  
Oh, perfect.  
  
She walked over to his bed, and, before Harry could say anything, began to talk.  
  
"Listen, Harry," She said, promptly, and Harry felt hatred bubble in the pit of his stomach. Didn't she remember anything? "I feel it is my duty to tell you what has been going on while you were...away. The Death Eaters left, but they came back yesterday, and there are more of them. They're well prepared, and ready to launch an attack. Luckily for us, some hope has been restored, now that you're awake. So here's what you need to do. You must make a speech, telling everyone-" She caught the look on his face. "I know its hard Harry, but you are the savior."  
  
"No, Hermione," He whispered, "you don't know. And I'm not their bloody savior!"  
  
"Harry-" She began, but he cut her off quickly.  
  
"Don't you get it? I'm not any of those things that they want me to be, that they think I am! Maybe I was, once, but I'm not anymore! Don't you understand? People see what they want to see. What they choose to see. They can choose to see me as a boy, burdened with the sake of the world, a boy alone, a boy so lost in his own darkness, he can't tell which was is up, or," he said, lowering his tone, "they can chose to see me as the savior. The one that will always be there for them, no matter what. And they chose to see the latter. But it is the first that is true.  
  
"Don't you understand, Hermione?" He asked, his voice burning with hatred and pain, "This, all of this, is a lie. Nothing is real anymore, nothing is true. They see whatever the hell they want to see! And they can't fucking see me, Hermione. They can't. Fucking. See. Me."  
  
He brought his burning, anger filled eyes to her surprised brown ones, and whispered, "You can't see me."  
  
He kept his eyes with hers, watching as they slowly filled with unshed tears.  
  
"No one can. And I'll deal with that in my own way. And if this-" He pushed back his sleeve, showing her the scars, "is my own way, then just bloody let it be! But don't tell me I'm their savior. And don't tell me what's expected off me. I'll deal with this war, and this pain, in my own way. Now get out, of my room.  
  
"You can't see me, Hermione, but I can see you. And I don't want to."  
  
Harry watched as Hermione turned and fled from his room. A tear ran down his face as her footsteps grew fainter, but he whipped it away. Caring was a weakness.  
  
Then, for the second time that day, he stormed out of the room, but this time he ran to his dormitory. That was it.  
  
He wasn't hiding any longer.  
  
He was done with this mask.  
  
----  
  
A/n: well, Harry's pissed. MUAHAHA! No more mask = sure chaos! Lol! Thanks to all who reviewed:  
  
Emeline- Lol, no he's not dead just wanted everyone to think he couldn't find his wand, when it was actually him who sent the spell. MUAHAHAHAHA! Lol! I bet you don't suck!!! I know I'm so excited! I never thought I'd have so many!  
  
PeachDancer82- -Checks heart- Well, steady beat! Whew! Don't worry, he's not dead muahaha! Hope you liked it!  
  
Rebecca- lol, I loved your review that is the most wonderful compliment I have ever received! ((And if it wasn't supposed to be a compliment, I am taking it as one, lol)) I hope you liked the chapter dedicated to you!  
  
Dea puella- Lol, you'll get it, I swear! It's just taking a while! -cowers in fear- He's alive! HE'S ALIVE! Don't hurt me!  
  
Pip3- MUAHAHA! Don't worry! Hope you liked it!  
  
p0l- Lolol, I know I know. Hope you liked it! The story won't be ending too soon, lol...  
  
Mistik-elf13- Lol, I cracked up on your review! Don't worry, he's not fucking dead! Lol, I'm not that good, I'm sure you're even better. In fact...-goes off to find stories by you-  
  
Shadowed Rains- LOL sorry it took so long, hope you liked it!  
  
Son of twilight- AHHHHHH!!! HES ALIVE!!!! DON'T DO IT! IF YOU KILL ME YOULL NEVER KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!! –Runs away in fear-  
  
Tara Potter101- Lol, thank you, hope you liked this chapter!  
  
silver115- Don't worry, he's not dead! Hope you liked this one!  
  
Crystalstorm21- -sob- oh wait, he's not dead.   
  
Trevor the Jumping Frog- He's okay! Don't worry! Hope you liked it!  
  
HedwigPig- Thank you so much! Hope this chapter was good!   
  
Riley Riddle- AHHHH!!! THE FLOBBER WORMS! HES ALIVE!! BACK DOWN!!! –Inches slowly away from flobber worms-  
  
Sweetfrv- Lol, don't worry, he's still alive!  
  
Elebereth- no kidding, Harry would defiantly loose it! Lol!  
  
Labpotter- Lol, I loved your review! AHHH not the evil monster!!! –Pokes evil monster- MUAHAHA...wait...AHHH!!!!! –Backs away from evil monster-  
  
SarkLover- LOL, yep, Harry was freaking out, running through the halls, with 5 people trailing behind him! In his bed clothes! Lol!!  
  
Hiei's fiancee- Not a teacher, but close! Hope you liked this chapter!  
  
Elven Warrior1- Not yet, hmm? Can I kill him LATER then? Lol, jk. Don't worry; I would never do that to Harry! -Evil eyes-  
  
MyGildedCage- Lol, yes I have a habit for writing short chapters, sorry! Hope you liked this one, though!  
  
Marblez- MUAHAHAHAHAHA! hope you liked this one!  
  
----  
  
To them and everyone else, please review! Sorry I'll be gone for so long, I promise you lots of chapters, updated quickly, when I return! 


	15. The Real Harry

A/N: Hey! Well, at the moment, I'm home! I wrote this in the mountains. It was 12:15 and I thought it would be a good idea to sit down and write for a while! This wasn't the only chapter I wrote on vaca, so those will be up soon!  
  
No more mask, muahahahahaha! I hope you all like this chappie!!  
  
This chapter is dedicated to tati1, who will probably never be able to know that this was dedicated to her, nor will she ever be able to read this chapter or any other chapters for that matter, and she will never know how the story ends.  
  
----  
  
Pure  
  
Chapter 15: The Real Harry  
  
----  
  
Harry stormed through the castle halls, tearing his way to the fat lady's picture. Luckily, most people were at dinner, so no one noticed a flushed Harry Potter storming through the hallways in his bed clothes for the second time that day.  
  
He reached the portrait that led to the common room, and muttered, "Hope," which was the password Dumbledore had given him.  
  
The Fat Lady's picture swung forward, and Harry walked into the empty room, and tore his way up to the dormitories. He pulled his trunk open, and began spilling the contents onto his bed. Then he pulled on his chosen clothes. Being that there were no more classes, due to the war, you could wear whatever you wanted to, and, luckily for Harry, sit at whatever house table you choose.  
  
Then he did a quick undying spell on his hair, and pulled off his glasses, dropping his contacts into them.  
  
Stuffing all of the rest of his things back into his trunk, and placing the knife, that he had swiped out of his robes, into his pocket, he headed downstairs.  
  
He arrived at the Great Hall about ten minutes into dinner. Everyone was already inside. He didn't hesitate to think before he pushed the doors open. He was past caring what anyone thought. He had reached the point of no return.  
  
He pushed the double doors open at once, and every head in the hall swiveled towards him, including the teachers.  
  
The hall became deathly quiet.  
  
Every student or teacher's eyes roamed over Harry. On his feet were combat boots, and the pants he wore were black and baggy, a huge rip in the knee. His top was sleeveless and black, showing his muscles. Countless hours of quiditch training had helped with Harry's now sculpted figure. But it was last summer that had truly done it. Confined to his room, he had spent hours doing push ups and crunches. Whenever he could, he would steal away to the park to do chin ups on the bars, or simply to run. And, whenever the Dursey's went out, he would sneak out of his own room, and into Dudley's, pouring out his anger onto his punching bag.  
  
The shirt that he wore now clearly accented his abs, which were visible through the tank, and the muscles on his arms.  
  
Many people gasped as they reached Harry's arms, where the three tattoos could be seen. Over his wrists were two black wristbands, that hid the scars running along his wrists. Then their eyes roamed to his own eyes, which were no longer hidden by the glasses. Finally, they went to his hair, where his red and silver streaks shown.  
  
Harry marched defiantly past the tables of staring students, glancing quickly at Hermione, whose hand was clapped over her mouth, and Ron, whose eyes were as round as gallons. His hand, however, was curled into a fist, and Harry knew that Hermione had told him of their past encounters.  
  
Harry stalked over to the Slytherin table, and sat down besides Draco, who was staring at him with disbelief in his pale eyes. Harry met his eyes. Then, without a word, Draco grabbed Harry's arm and pulled him out of the Great Hall, aware that every eye still remained on them.  
  
Draco let the doors of the Hall swing shut, and then he pushed Harry against the wall.  
  
Harry watched him closely, meeting his eyes slowly. Draco's eyes burned with confusion, disbelief, pain, and...Something else. Something he couldn't place.  
  
Draco's hand slowly reached up and gently touched Harry's tattoo, and then silently took a piece of his hair in his hands, twirling it for a moment. Then he took his other hand, which had been on Harry's shoulder, pinning him against the wall, and dropped it to his side.  
  
"Harry." He whispered softly, "What are you doing. Who...who are you?"  
  
Draco's worst fears had been confirmed. Harry was gone. He was lost. Harry dropped his eyes to the floor and shook his head sadly, whispering, "I...don't know."  
  
Harry brought his eyes to Draco's. Draco stared back at him, his arms folded across his chest. Perhaps it was the way that Draco was looking at him that made him become so upset. Perhaps it was the way Draco seemed to be treating him, like he was a naughty child that had to explain where the cookies had gone, that made Harry start to shout.  
  
"I just...can't take this anymore, Draco!" He yelled, and Draco started at the use of his first name. "I can't be this person anymore! I don't know who I am, Draco, but I know who I'm not!" At this point, he began to wave his arms around, as though emphasizing his point. "I'm not that person Draco! I'm not-"  
  
He was stopped, suddenly, however, when Draco caught his hands as they flew through the air. Draco held his wrists in his hands, and Harry prayed that the black wrist bands would not slip.  
  
"I know." Draco whispered his pale silver eyes still boring into Harry's confused green ones.  
  
"You know?" Harry asked, lamely.  
  
"I know." Draco repeated, still holding Harry's wrists in his hands. "I know, Harry."  
  
Harry watched him closely. What did he mean, he knew? What did he know? Slowly, Draco let go of Harry wrists. Harry regrettably dropped his arms to his sides, and straightened his armbands.  
  
"Of course I know, Harry." Draco whispered, "I could tell from the moment I looked into your eyes. Hell, Harry," Draco said, turning away, "Why do you think I was so mean to you about Sirius?"  
  
"I-" Harry began, but was cut off again by Draco.  
  
"You think I meant to hurt you, Harry?" Draco said, softly, "You think I wanted that? I just...I wanted to know how far gone you were."  
  
Harry's eyes shifted to the ground. Then, suddenly, two shoes appeared on the floor. He felt Draco's hand rest softly under his chin, and he brought his eyes to Draco's.  
  
"It's okay Harry. It's okay."  
  
For a fleeting second he wanted to tell Draco about the scars that ran along his wrist. But, no. "And Ron and Hermione..."  
  
He began to explain what had happened from the beginning, leaving out the part where Hermione saw his scars. At the end, Draco was closer than he had been at the beginning, and was nodding sadly.  
  
"I'm sorry, Harry." He whispered. Then, meeting Harry's eyes once more, he murmured, "Why...what happened? That made you this way?"  
  
Harry sighed, and slid down the wall, his head in his hands. When he looked up, Draco was sitting besides him.  
  
"My Aunt and Uncle." He whispered, his voice choking slightly. "They beat me."  
  
Draco's eyes widened, and for a fleeting moment, Harry felt his hand being covered with Draco's, before it was pulled away quickly.  
  
"They have..." His voice choked again, and he pulled his eyes away. Caring was a weakness. "They have for a long time now. Since I was two. When I was younger, they made me believe that I was worthless. I just...I just couldn't take it anymore." His hand rubbed his wristband softly. "So I put on this mask. So I made myself become what everyone thought of me." He made his eyes meet Draco's once more. "You know."  
  
Draco furrowed his eyebrows together. It was not a question. It was a statement.  
  
"You wear a mask, too." Harry said, "I can see it, when I look into your eyes. Sometimes you put your guard down. When you cry. When you smile. But I can see through it, even when you're guarded. Just like you can see through my mask."  
  
Draco nodded slowly. Suddenly the doors leading to the great hall burst open. The students came pouring out, many of them casting odd glances at the Prince of Slytherin and the Golden boy who were sitting on the ground, facing each other.  
  
When all the students had gone, Dumbledore walked out, and crouched down in front of the two boys.  
  
"Mr. Potter." He said, looking at Harry, but Harry avoided his gaze. "We need to talk."  
  
----  
  
Dumbledore paced around his room. Harry had followed him up the winding staircase a moment ago, leaving Draco at the bottom.  
  
"Mr. Potter," he began, looking Harry over, "Harry,"  
  
"Professor," Harry interrupted, "if you're here to talk to me about my appearance-"  
  
He was cut short, however, by Dumbledore's chuckle. "No, no." He said, his eyes twinkling, "I'm here to talk to you about your...your dream."  
  
Immediately, Harry felt foolish. Of course this was not about his appearance. The premonition. He had completely forgotten.  
  
Sinking into one of the chairs, Harry began to give a full recount of what had happened in the coma. The tireless nights and days--although he could not distinguish between which--that he had spent in the dark, then the premonition, the feeling that he was being pulled through time, not being able to stop it...  
  
He recounted every detail of the premonition, and then told what happened when he woke up, the nurse's exclamation, running through the halls, meeting and seeing almost everyone he had in the premonition, the feeling of dread when he met Professor Snape in the hallways, everything that led up to the final moment when he shouted the horrible words at the Death Eater.  
  
Dumbledore nodded when he was finished, stroking his long beard thoughtfully and nodding.  
  
"Professor," Harry asked hastily, "Why did the Death Eater--Pavati, come after Draco? When I was lying inept and venerable in the Hospital Wing? She must have known, so why would she go after him?"  
  
The twinkle in Dumbledore's eye shone brightly. "That Harry," he said, and Harry immediately recognized the tone of mystery, "Is something I will reveal to you--"  
  
"When I'm ready." Harry said, sighing softly.  
  
Dumbledore nodded, smiling once more. "In time, Harry, in time."  
  
Harry resisted the urge to roll his eyes, and pulled himself up out of the chair.  
  
"Harry." Dumbledore said softly, "about your appearance--I think that Sirius would have greatly appreciated the dagger." He said, gesturing to the tattoo on Harry's arm, "But I think he intended you to use it for your own safety. Not," he paused, meeting Harry's eyes, and Harry had the feeling that he knew more than he was letting on. "Other things."  
  
"Yes Sir." Harry said, through gritted teeth, and with that stalked out of the office.  
  
----  
  
A/N: Well, I hope everyone liked that! The next one should be up soon!  
  
Thanks to all who reviewed:  
  
Elven Warrior1- LOL, he didn't die! Not yet anyways...MUAHAHAHA! –Shifty eyes-  
  
HedwigPig- Sorry it took so long, but I'm back from vaca, so I can update once again!  
  
labpotter- Lol, thank you so much! ---come back to---  
  
PeachDancer82- Thank you, I hope you liked this chapter! I'll try to update sooner! –skips away-  
  
SarkLover- I know...-sigh-...don't worry, all will right itself in time. OR WILL IT? muahaha!  
  
Crystalstorm21- Sorry it took so long but I wrote over vacation so I should be able to update soon!  
  
zina- lololol, sorry it took so long, vacation called! The next chapter should be up sooner though!  
  
YikesSark- -sigh- yes, it is the best lol, hope you liked it!  
  
Tara Potter101- muahahahahahaha...! sorry it took so long the next one should be up sooner!!  
  
Emeline- Lol. –sob- I'm sorry!! I'm back now! AND NO YOU DO NOT SUCK!! yes, my sn is on my author profile   
  
MyGildedCage- Lol, thank you! The next one will be up sooner! ((I am addicted to HPDM lol))  
  
tomboy101- Hope you liked it!  
  
PrOnGs Da GrEaT- Sorry! Back now! The next one will be up sooner!  
  
Hiei's fiancee- AHHH NOT THE DRAGON OF THE DARKNESS FLAME!!! Nothing TOO drastic, just some minor adjustments lol! Hope you liked it; the next chapter will be up sooner!! –runs to hide-  
  
Elebereth- Lol, hope you liked it, the next will be up sooner!  
  
Silverlie- LOL, I don't know if you're back yet, but I just got back from vacation today!! –sniff- I missed you! –sobs-  
  
Marblez- Lol, ahhhh the image!!! MY EYES! haha, hope you liked it! No, no, ramblings fine! I do it alllll the time! ......-drool- oh am I still here? –nervous laughter-  
  
mandie- AH! I'm back don't rebel! Yes, I know, I think one of these days she just might kill me! –shifty eyes-  
  
p0l- Lol, he didn't die b/c the curse didn't hit him  
  
Laurinasta Blaze- Lol, okay, I'm back! Hope you liked it!  
  
Sephyreth Riddle- Lol, all in good time! –twiddles fingers together- muah...hahahahaha!  
  
Damn-my-name-was-taken- JOANNA!!!! Right...hey! Lol, I know it's not a flame, thank you though. Lol, yep, that issue case was closed a long time ago...lol. see you this summer and in HS...-groan-...it's gonna suck man...  
  
Rach Black- Lol, damned flamers, if they don't like it, DON'T READ IT! –huff huff- anyways! hope you liked this one!  
  
tati1- Thank you very, very much. This chapter was dedicated to you, although I doubt you will ever be able to know that. I'm sorry you can't read slash, that sucks, but it means a lot to me that you read the first chapters of mine.  
  
To them, and everyone else, please review!! 


	16. Cutting

A/n: Hey! Okay, I wrote this chapter in South Carolina. I am leaving for Mexico on Friday, but I will try to get another chapter out before I leave. This is a bit of a cliffy but not much. Muahahahahaha! Hope you like it!  
  
This is not my favorite chapter because...poor Harry...oh, you'll see!  
  
This chapter is dedicated to: Marblez, whose review made me laugh, and had me singing finding nemo songs!! Hope you like it!  
  
---- Pure  
  
Chapter 16: Cutting  
  
----  
  
Sirius's knife burned in Harry's pocket, begging him to use it, as Harry stormed down the stairs, and into the hallway. It seemed that Draco had left, so Harry turned and walked briskly to the Gryffindor tower, vainly trying not to think of what might be waiting there for him.  
  
He reached the Fat Lady's picture, who looked him over, and muttered something that sounded very much like "punk hooligans." Harry rolled his eyes and muttered the password. The portrait swung forward and he climbed in. He dropped down from the side of the hole he had climbed through, and when he had straightened himself out, he met the angry eyes of every Gryffindor.  
  
The shouting came at once, a mixed blur of swear words and mumbled curses, waving arms and stomping feet, accusing fingers pointing at him, and burning eyes boring into him.  
  
Harry just stood there, his arms folded across him, waiting for the shouting and accusations to stop. When they finally died down it was Seamus that stepped forward to address Harry.  
  
"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing, Harry?" He said, his eyes boring into Harry, "Traitor to Gryffindor House, that's what you are!"  
  
Harry clenched and unclenched his fists silently. His eyes, however, remained with Seamus's. They showed no emotion, no reconciliation that what Seamus had just shouted had registered to him.  
  
It was Dean who stepped forward, falling in place next to Seamus, his eyes too filled with hatred, and it was then, as he looked into the scorn filled eyes of his former friends, that he realized Hermione and Ron had turned the entire house against him.  
  
Dean kept staring at him, and Harry stared back, his eyes unblinking. He had no intention to look away. Realizing this after a moment, Dean began to shout, his words shouted in the same disdain that had lined Seamus's lexis.  
  
"Sitting at the Slytherin table!" He shouted, waving his arms.  
  
It was then that Ron entered the conversation. He stepped forward from Hermione's side, letting go of her hand. It seemed that in the mist of the fight, they had found each other.  
  
The room went a stony silent as Ron walked towards Harry. Seamus and Dean both stepped back into the crowd, leaving Harry to Ron.  
  
Ron's eyes burned with pain and confusion. As Ron looked upon him, Harry saw the sharp glint of hate burning in them. He stepped up to Harry, looking down on him, and Harry stood firm, looking up at him, refusing to be intimidated.  
  
"Just what do you think you're doing, Potter?" He whispered his breath hot against Harry's face.  
  
Inwardly, Harry flinched at the way Ron had addressed him, the hateful way Draco used to. But on the outside he stood emotionless, content on not showing the contempt he felt for Ron at the moment.  
  
"Dressing like this," he continued, his eyes flicking from Harry's feet to his eyes and back again, "sitting at the Slytherin table, talking to that—that—rat Malfoy?" There were a few murmurs of agreement and curses from the crowd before Ron continued. "And in the war, why the HELL did you save him, Potter? Gryfindors"—he motioned to the crowd standing behind him—"were dying! You could have saved any one of them, but you chose him? Malfoy? The one person who, above anyone at this school, we hate the most? Until now, that is." He added, looking Harry up and down again.  
  
"I saved Draco," Harry whispered venomously, aware of the reaction that Malfoy's first name caused, "because he's the only one that didn't worship me because of this bloody scar. I saved Draco because he doesn't care how I dress, unlike you lot. I saved Draco," He whispered, meeting Ron's eyes, "because he was worth saving."  
  
He turned to leave. He was in the portrait hole, ready to push it open, when he heard a small voice—Hermione's voice—whisper, "And we're not?"  
  
Harry's eyes shone with hatred as he looked them all up and down, surveying the only friends he had known for the past six years. Then he whispered his voice pain-filled and his heart thumping, "No. You're not."  
  
And he jumped through the portrait hole, swinging it shut behind him, and leaving the Gryffindor house staring at a portrait canvas where their savior had just stood.  
  
Harry stormed down the steps, and past the great hall. He kept running, ignoring the urge to storm into an empty classroom and once again take out Sirius's knife.  
  
He ran down the cold stone steps leading to the dungeon, and skidded to a stop in front of the plain stone wall that he recognized from his second year. Realizing he didn't know the password, he began to bang on the stone wall as hard as he could.  
  
The hits to the wall echoed down the corridors. Harry could hear people inside the Slytherin common room beginning to stir. Footsteps approached, and suddenly the wall slid open. A large, bulky fifth year that Harry had only seen in passing poked his head out. Brushing the stringy brown hair out of his eyes, as though he had not seen right, he furrowed his eyebrows together and said, "Potter?"  
  
"I need to see Draco." Harry said shortly, trying in vain to crane his neck around the massive body of the fifth year.  
  
"Err-right." He said the confusion still evident in his voice.  
  
He moved back, and the stone wall slid shut, leaving Harry out in the hall alone. After a few moments, he heard footsteps again approaching the wall, and muffled conversation. Then the wall slid open once more, and Draco appeared.  
  
"Harry?" He said, sounding just as confused as the other boy had been.  
  
Harry, feeling the happiest he had all day, said. "Um-I was wondering, well," He struggled to say it, and Draco raised his light eyebrows. "Could- I-stay-here-a-couple-of-nights?" He finished in a rush.  
  
Draco's pale eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and then, suddenly, realization drew on his face.  
  
"Gryffs?" He asked.  
  
Harry nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets. "They don't want anything to do with me." He looked up from the ground and met Draco's eyes. "So-uh-I was wondering..." he said, trailing off pathetically.  
  
Draco smiled softly, a rare smile that he wiped off his face quickly. He moved back from the wall, gesturing Harry inside.  
  
Harry stepped inside, the stony Slytherin common room meeting his eyes for the second time. Draco walked around, pointing out things to him, and Harry, who had never told Draco about the polyjuice incident in second year, tried his best to make it look as though this was all rather new to him.  
  
A few of the students, especially the younger ones, were peering at Harry curiously. Most of the older students were lounging around, and took no notice as Harry Potter was escorted around the Slytherin common room. As Draco was leading Harry to the dormitories, Blaise past them. He looked at Harry strangely, and then glanced at Draco, who stood two feet in front of them.  
  
"Harry," Draco said, before Blaise could ask, "Is going to stay with us for awhile. That's not a problem, is it?" He asked, looking down at Blaise, who shook his head and grunted.  
  
Blaise looked over Harry, as though trying to decide whether or not it really was okay, and then his face broke into a charming smile. "Welcome to Slytherin." He said, and then proceeded down the stairs.  
  
Harry followed Draco the rest of the way into the dormitories—being in the dungeon there were no stairs. Looking around, he noted it was almost the same as the Gryffindor common rooms, but with silver and green canopies and bed sheets instead of the red and gold he was used to.  
  
Draco threw himself down on what must have been his bed, but immediately sat back up again. Looking around, he asked, "Where are you going to sleep?"  
  
This hadn't occurred to Harry. Looking around, he decided that the floor would be a good enough place, but he would need a pillow and coverings. He sighed, wishing he had thought of that before he left Gryffindor Tower. He wasn't looking forward to going back, and he doubted there would be a welcoming. Still, he turned to Draco and told him where he was going, shrugging off Draco's request to go with him.  
  
He headed out of the common room, and up the dungeon stairs. The clock had struck eleven, and he hoped that everyone would be sleeping, so he could make a quiet entrance. However, he knew the occupants of the Tower would be up late into the night.  
  
He walked up the stairs and stopped at the Fat Lady's portrait. Ignoring her warnings of "it's not quite safe for you yet, dear, they're a bit...upset" and so on, he muttered the password and marched into the common room.  
  
Most of it was deserted, a few first and second years sprawled out on the floor in front of the fire. Hope rising once more in his chest, he made his way quietly up the staircase.  
  
Opening the doors slowly, he noted that most of his fellow six years were in bed, with the curtains drawn. Unsure of whether or not they were asleep, he made he was quietly across the floor.  
  
He slowly drew back the curtains and pulled off his covering and pillow. As he was opening the door once more, he heard someone stir.  
  
"Wooshe deir?" A sleep clouded voice came from the bed to the right of his, and Harry felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.  
  
Ron.  
  
The curtains were opened, and Harry, unable to move, watched as Ron's tired eyes realized what he was seeing. Ron was struck dumb for a moment, and then yelled, waking up the rest of the dorm.  
  
Within seconds the other boys had surrounded him. Harry, turned to face them, was grasping blindly at the doorknob, but the thing would not seem to open.  
  
"The traitor's come back then?" Ron said, cruelly, shoving Harry hard against the door. "Couldn't resist could you Potter?"  
  
A couple of the other boys laughed with him, and one reached out to shove Harry. Harry looked around at his old friends. There was a cruel new glow to them, one that Harry had only seen in one person—Malfoy. It seemed he had been wrong all along.  
  
He groped again for the doorknob. The door swung open just as Ron's hands connected with his chest, and Harry, loosing his balance, tumbled backwards, his arm spouting blood as it hit the carpet, and his head hitting the banister hard. He came to a stop, sprawled a few feet away from the staircase.  
  
Harry pulled himself up, his head pounding, and his mouth filling with the copper taste of blood that spilled out of his tongue. He made his way over to his bed covering and pillow which lay a few feet away, thrown away from him on his way down. Looking up, he saw Ron and the others doubled over in laughter.  
  
"Fuck you, Weasel." Harry growled, spitting the blood that gushed from his tongue at the foot of the staircase.  
  
The laughter stopped abruptly, and Harry turned, and walked towards the portrait hole. Before he climbed through, he turned towards the girl's dormitory, where Hermione stood, her hands over her mouth and her brown eyes wide.  
  
A single tear slid down her face, and for a fleeting moment, Harry realized that this was not what she wanted. As his head continued to throb, however, he just shot her a furious glance and disappeared once more from the Gryffindor's sight.  
  
His feet hit the marble ground hard, and he took off down the stairs. His feet pounded against the ground, his footsteps bouncing off the walls. He bit his lip to conceal a moan from the pain that had now hit him at full blast.  
  
He sped to the dungeons, but he ran past the Slytherin opening, stopping long enough to throw his things down in front of it. He ran to the first empty classroom he saw, and he slammed the door shut.  
  
Throwing himself down on the floor, he dug Sirius's knife from his pocket. He lowered it to his top of his wrist, tracing over an old scar. Blood came, slowly at first and then faster, forming the crimson bracelet that Harry wore too often.  
  
The dull pain that came with the cuts filled up Harry's body, and he shuddered involuntarily. The dark red suddenly turned lighter as a tear drop landed on it. Harry wiped his face with his other hand, stopping the tears.  
  
Caring was a weakness...  
  
He lowered the blade once more to his wrist, the cool metal sending another chill through his body. The blade sharply cut into his tender skin. Harry began to draw a thin line across his skin  
  
And that's when Draco walked in.  
  
----  
  
A/n: Draco will NOT be happy about that, MUAHAHAHAHA! Right. Anyways, Thanks to all those who reviewed:  
  
Marblez- LOL, your review cracked me up! I updated right after you reviewed, lol. I hope you like this one, it was dedicated to you!   
  
Zina- Thank you, I'll try and update soon!  
  
Angelkitty77- Lol, yeah they're being assholes. Hope you liked it.  
  
Crazy-lil-nae-nae- thank you, I hope you liked this chapter!  
  
The Dark Flame- Lol, I had fun with him! I love this tattoos/appearance too lol, hope you liked it!  
  
MyGildedCage- Lol, than you, no, random reviews always welcomed! Yes, I know it was a bit too short sorry. Lol, slashers anonymous, that cracked me up. Hope you liked this one.  
  
Elebereth- Lol, yes, his mask is gone. Stupid Gryffs, I tell you...lol  
  
Pip3- That man knows everything...lol, not like Harry's listening to him.  
  
SarkLover- lol I'm working on the whole "righting itself" thing, although it didn't exactly happen in this chapter!  
  
Hiei's fiancee- AHHH! DRAGON! Lol, hope you liked this. Tension building, but slashyness will begin soon, I promise.  
  
Elven Warrior1- WOOT WOOT! Slashy...soon, soon. Muahahahaha!  
  
HedwigPig- YAY! Lol! I'll try to have the next one out soon!  
  
Thanks to them and everyone else, please review!  
  
----  
  
Yet ANOTHER A/N: Okay, a little tidbit from me. This whole staircase thing was inspired by my clumsiness. I'm running down the stairs in my house, which are curved, with my friend behind me. We're going to scooter—and in my case skateboard—down to our other friend's house. Now I'm going very fast, and I trip. I start tumbling down the stairs, and scrape up the upper part of my leg, slam my head against our banister, and land about two or three feet away from the staircase on our tile.  
  
It was funny.  
  
Lol. That was my little tidbit, now review!   
  



	17. Caring

A/n: I'm back! This chapter took me the longest time to write, thought I am not quite sure why. I started it in the car, going back to my grandparents where we would spend the night, then continued it in their house, then again in the car ride from Atlanta all the way to Mississippi and finally to Louisiana, and I finished in the hotel. Lol.  
  
I will be going to Mexico for a week, leaving tomorrow. I'm sorry to leave with a bit of a cliffie, but I will update as soon as I get home!  
  
This chapter is dedicated to: MyGildedCage, a wonderful, faithful reviewer, who paid me a wonderful compliment last chapter. –sobs and hugs-  
  
----  
  
Pure  
  
Chapter 17: Caring  
  
----  
  
Harry's head snapped up as Draco walked in. He hurriedly tried to conceal the knife, but Draco's eyes were already on the blood that ran down Harry's arm.  
  
A drop of blood ran down Harry's arm, and landed with a soft splat on the floor, a sound that echoed around the deathly silent room. Neither Harry nor Draco moved or spoke.  
  
Harry, who was caught off guard, held the knife in his hand, the silver blade turned red. His wrist was still exposed, the black armband he wore pushed to his elbow. Every scar that ran along his arm was visible to Draco's unblinking eyes. The blood still poured out of his open wounds, becoming thicker by the moment.  
  
Draco stood in the doorway, frozen in place. His left foot was placed before his right, his hand stilled on the doorknob. His eyes were on  
  
Harry's arm, they scanned the scars that ran along his wrist, and then made their way to Harry's eyes.  
  
It was Draco who moved first, stepping into the room and letting the door swing shut behind him. He kneeled down beside Harry, lightly touching an old scar of his, and Harry recoiled from him. He shoved the knife back into his pocket, and wrapped his robe over his still bleeding wrist.  
  
"Harry..." Draco whispered, coming closer to him, but Harry dropped his eyes to the floor.  
  
"Don't." He whispered, meeting Draco's eyes, which were etched with confusion. He opened his mouth to respond, but Harry shook his head, and pulled himself to his feet. "Don't, Draco. Don't ask me why I do this, because you already know." Draco nodded slowly, also bringing himself to his feet, and meeting Harry's eyes. "Don't tell me it's going to be okay," Harry murmured, his voice rising, "Because it's not. You know that."  
  
"Harry..." Draco whispered again, taking another step toward him, but  
  
Harry moved away once more.  
  
"Don't!" He yelled, moving even further back from Draco. "Just don't."  
  
"Please," Draco whispered, this time standing his ground. "Don't do this, Harry. I know it's hard..."  
  
"You don't know!" Harry said his voice choking. "Don't say you do."  
  
"I know it hurts," Draco said, as thought he had not heard Harry's words. "I know about the pain. Everyone hurts. Don't do this to yourself. Please, Harry..." He whispered, and Harry saw the pleading in his eyes.  
  
"I can't..." He whispered, "I can't take this anymore..."  
  
"Harry," Draco began, taking a step closer to him.  
  
"No!" Harry yelled, "No! I can't take this anymore!" Rage filled his voice, and Draco stopped moving towards him. "I don't want to be me anymore, Draco!" Tears had begun to stream down his face, and Harry made no attempt to wipe them away this time. All the anger that had burned inside of him was pouring out of him now, and Harry could feel it. It seeped out of him, pouring into the room and washing over him. He could taste it in the air, the foul taste of hatred.  
  
"I can't do this anymore!" He shouted, not moving away as Draco came to him. He knew Draco could feel the anger in the air, the impossible fury that poured over him. "I don't..." His voice choked on the words that had lingered around his heart for so long, threatening to burst out of him at every waking moment. "I don't care anymore..."  
  
He fell into Draco then, the tears that he had kept locked inside for so long finally falling. Draco dropped to his knees, and Harry went with him, his face turned into the crook of Draco's neck. He felt a tear splash on his neck, and knew that Draco was crying with him, both of their masks shattered.  
  
Harry's body shook as the repressed sobs ran through him, leaving him feeling weak.  
  
"Dammit," he said, his voice once more choking. He pounded his fist feebly against the floor, "I don't care anymore."  
  
The words came out in a hot breath against Draco's neck, and with them came a fresh wave of tears that poured uncontrollably down his tears. Even as he said them, he could feel the chill that ran down Draco's back as he realized that Harry was further gone than he could have ever guessed.  
  
And even as he said them, as the left his lips, he could hear the nagging voice in the back of his mind, telling him they weren't true. That he did care, that though he did not care about himself any longer, that though he did not care about his friends anymore, he cared about one thing--Draco. Draco, who cried with him now, the only thing, the only person, that he cared about in the world, proved his last words wrong.  
  
"I don't want to care anymore..." He whispered, his voice muffled by Draco's shoulder. "I can't care anymore..." He said. He could feel Draco, who held him by one hand, the other hand hanging limply by his side, listening to his every word, listening contently, as though something that Harry said would answer a question that he had been searching for. "I can't..."  
  
For the first time since Harry had fallen upon him, Draco spoke, his words traced with tears, but no less clear, "Why not?"  
  
The answer lay on the tip of Harry's tongue. He had thought it to himself for days, maybe weeks now, but as he made to say it to Draco, it sounded strangely foolish, and Harry felt inane as he said them.  
  
"Caring...is a weakness."  
  
Draco brought his hand to Harry's chin, and brought his face level to his. Harry's face was pain stricken and tear stained. Confusion settled in his lost eyes as he looked upon Draco's face.  
  
Draco's fine face was engraved with anguish. His eyebrows were drawn together, and his pale eyes were full of grief. The tears that had spilled down his cheeks had left stains along the pale skin, his flawless skin marked from tears that hardly ever fell.  
  
His eyes were imprinted with such pleading, wishing that he could help, and it was such a change from the normal cold eyes and smirking mask of Draco Malfoy, that Harry wanted to tell him everything, that he loved him, but he did not, he only kneeled, staring into his eyes, waiting for his words. And when he spoke, his voice was quiet and kind, spoken so softly that it made Harry want to cry again.  
  
"I don't believe in weakness."  
  
A small chuckle escaped Harry's lips, a laugh that had not left his lips since the beginning of the summer, since Sirius left. It sounded foreign to Harry, as though he was speaking another langue, one that he was not aware he knew.  
  
"What do you believe in?" He whispered; his tired eyes connected to Draco's.  
  
Draco did not hesitate to answer the question; he said the answer as soon as Harry had asked him, as though he was prepared to say it.  
  
"I believe in you." He whispered, and Harry felt a strange surge run through him, the words coursing through his veins. He stood up, pulling Harry along with him. He pushed back Harry's sleeve, tracing over the scars on his arm, and the blood that had dried over Harry's two new wounds. A small tear fell down his cheek and landed on the wrist.  
  
"Stop this." He murmured, and Harry nodded, feeling the warmth from Draco's hands pouring into his body.  
  
Then they left, leaving the room barren, without a trace that they had ever been there. And as they left, Harry glanced back at the room, finding it amusing how he and the abandoned classroom had so much in common. Both alone, both empty. But as Harry was led away by Draco, who spoke of getting him cleaned up, and asking him what had happened with the Gryffindors, he realized the difference between him and the room. No matter how many people entered the room, as soon as they left, they were gone, and the room was empty. No matter how many people crossed through the doorway, it did not make the classroom any less barren. If Draco was to spend his every waking moment in that room, it would not make the room anymore full when he was away.  
  
However, with Harry, even if Draco was gone from his life forever, just the thought of him made Harry feel a little more complete, a little less empty.  
  
He didn't feel alone anymore.  
  
----  
  
Breakfast the next day was an uneasy one. The Gryffindors glared at the Slytherins and Harry. The looks on their faces were of pure hatred. The Slytherins glared at the Gryffindors with equal malice. Harry sighed, wondering just how they would win this war if the houses were at battle.  
  
A trace of guilt passed his mind as he glanced at Ron, and he felt Draco clap a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"It's not your fault." He said, as though he could read Harry's thoughts, and Harry nodded, not up for an argument.  
  
After breakfast, Draco had to rush back to the common room to write a letter, and Harry confessed to wanting to take a walk--alone. He shoved his hands in his pockets, and made his way out the front doors.  
  
The students were allowed on the grounds now, as all the Death Eaters had gone. Harry assumed they had fled back to Voldemort, planning another attack.  
  
Walking around, he compared their chances of winning the war. They were lucky the first time. A bunch of students winning against fully trained Death Eaters was not likely. Dumbledore had informed them all that he would be calling in reinforcements, but they would not be able to arrive for another week or two, perhaps three, and Harry feared that when they arrived all they would find is bodies.  
  
Trying with no avail not to think this, he began pacing the courtyard, his head down, and as a result he almost ran into someone. Looking up, he met the familiar brown eyes of Hermione. Twisting his face into a halfhearted sneer, he turned and began to walk away.  
  
"Harry!" Her voice made him stop. It sounded strained, as though she was dreading talking to him, and he knew that she was not here to insult him as the other Gyffindors had.  
  
He turned towards her, and his face softened as he saw the tears that ran down her face. Despite himself, he could not stand to see Hermione cry. And deep within his heart, he knew she had done nothing wrong. Although he tried to deny it, he knew she was just trying to help him, and did not mean to turn the house against him.  
  
"Oh Harry," She wailed, the tears streaming faster down her face, "This isn't what I wanted at all. I just told Ron what you had s-said to me, and when he s-saw the way you w-were dressed, and w-when you sat with—with—them, he just l-lost it."  
  
She dropped her head into her hands, and Harry resisted the strong urge to take her into his arms. That turned out to be a good move, however, when he heard footsteps behind her.  
  
Ron appeared at her side seconds later, glancing from the tear stained Hermione to Harry, and demanded, "What the hell did you do to her, Potter?"  
  
Harry made to retort, but Hermione shook her head before he could. "N- nothing, Ron, he didn't d-do anything."  
  
Ron, however, ignored Hermione, and focused on Harry. "You're a traitor," He whispered, "An embarrassment to Hogwarts. If you weren't Harry bloody Potter, the savior--"  
  
"I'm not the damn savior!" He yelled, breaking into Ron's sentence. "Stop saying I am!"  
  
Hermione's head rose out of her hands, her bleary eyes looking at him curiously. Ron, too, faltered, staring at him in surprise. Harry took advantage of both of their silences, and continued on.  
  
"I didn't ask for this!" He yelled, pointing to the hated scar on his forehead. "I didn't want this, any of this! I'm not the savior. I can't stop this war, I can't end it. I don't know what you want from me," he whispered meeting Hermione's eyes, "but I can not give it to you."  
  
Ron stood, staring at his old friend, confusion draw in his green eyes. Hermione, too, stood staring at him, but he knew she understood better than Ron.  
  
"Harry," she finally whispered, her voice low, "whether you chose to believe it, you are the savior--"  
  
"I'm not!" He shouted, though in his heart of hearts, he knew it was not true. He knew he was the savior, despite how he tried to deny it. And he knew that no matter what he did, no matter how he dressed, he would always be the savior. They would always look to him for help; always expect him to save them. And he would be there to save them, be there to help them, be there to be their savior. Finally, after years of fighting it, years of denying and wishing it wasn't true, Harry had come to realize that there was no fighting destiny.  
  
"I don't want to be..." He whispered softly. Then he turned and fled, running away from them, from his former friends and his former self, running from his past, his present, his future, his destiny.  
  
He ran into the castle, barely aware of where he was going. He only realized where he was when he skidded to a stop in front of the cold stone doors that entered to the Slytherin common room.  
  
Muttering the password that had been given to him by Draco, he rushed inside and to the dormitories.  
  
He could forget his past, and destroy his future. But in the here and now, in the present, there was only one thing he could truly do. He did not care what happened to him, not anymore. He did not wish to care about himself any longer. But he cared about Draco. So despite the consequences to him, he knew what he must do.  
  
And he knew how to end the war.  
  
----  
  
A/n: Bump...bump...buuuummm...I will try and update soon! We'll be home tomorrow, and then I shall be able to update these chapters!  
  
Thanks to all who reviewed:  
  
The Dark Flame- Lol, I know how that is! I'll be in Mexico for a week, so I won't be able to update, but I promise I'll update quickly as soon as I get back!  
  
Crystalstorm21- Thank you, and don't even worry about it!  
  
kila1991- LOL, cliffie's suck...not that this chapter didn't end with one...muahahahaha! love to write them, hate to read them!  
  
Immortal Tears of- lolol, don't cry, I'll update!!  
  
Tara Potter101- Lol, thank you, slash will start soon, I promise! No, sorry, I don't know where you could get a beta, but I'm sure you'll find one!  
  
Someone- I know, friggin' evil Gryffs! lol, thank you, hope you liked it!  
  
MyGildedCage- Thank you! They were evil, lol. Hope you liked this one, it was dedicated to you!  
  
SarkLover- Lol, yes, Hermione feels very bad about the way the Gryffindors are reacting, as well she should...grrr...lol, alls well that ends well.   
  
crazy-lil-nae-nae- -sob- aw, that means so much to me! –hugs and gives candy- Yes, Hermione is coming around, she didn't mean for this to happen, however, Ron is being a bit of a handful, and has the rest of the Gryffs convinced Harry is a jerk. All will sort itself out, though!  
  
Elebereth- MUAHAHAHAHA! lol, he's evil.  
  
Hiei's fiancee- Lol, I know I do, don't worry, I'll be back next Friday!! Slashy goodness almost here, ((17 chapters and not one kiss, I can not believe people have stuck with me this long!)) Don't worry, slash will start soon!  
  
HedwigPig- Thank you, I hope you liked this chapter!  
  
Pip3- Lol, I'm sorry I didn't mean for it to make anyone cry...I'll be like that some days.   
  
DarkLights- LOL, thank you, Ron's being such an ass!!  
  
Elven Warrior1- Yep, she's coming to her senses, thank goodness one of them is!!  
  
Thanks to them, and to everyone else, please review!  
  
Another A/n: Time for my little tidbit! Okay, I don't know if anyone knows an Avril Lavigne song ((I hated her first CD, but I like the new one, so sue me.)) Anyways, the beginning goes: ((this isn't my favorite song, but...))  
  
You try to tell me what I shouldn't do,  
  
You should know by now I won't listen to you.  
  
Walk around with my hands in the air  
  
Cause I don't care.  
  
And every time I here that damned song, I think of either Draco or Ron telling Hermione off, which strikes me as very funny, as every time I think of this, I see Emma Watson, her arms crossed, tapping her foot on the floor, being circled by either Tom Felton or Rupert Grint, and they're pumping their hands in the air in that weird raise-the-roof motion. So every time I here that song, I start laughing, due to this odd image I see, thus looking INSANE.  
  
Lol, well there you have it, another odd, random and little tidbit from me! Thanks for reading, now review!  
  
I'll update in a week, when I'm back from Mexico! 


	18. Leaving

A/N: Hey! okay, I know, I know, it's been way more than a week. and I am SO SO SO SO SO sorry. I had horrible writers block. But here it is, the 18th ((god!)) chapter of Pure! I hope everyone likes it and I promise to try and update sooner!! ((school starts soon ugh))  
  
This chapter is dedicated to: Dea Puella, who I dedicated chapter 6 to, but promised to dedicate another one—one WITH Draco in it—and I had had this one in mind since chapter 6! I hope you like it!  
  
----  
  
Pure  
  
Chapter 18: Leaving  
  
----  
  
There lay a single thing on Draco Malfoy's bed--a knife. It was beautiful, a silver knife, smooth, the blood that had touched the hilt so many times had been wiped off, leaving no evidence it had ever been there. The hilt was rapped in silver thorns, sharp and hard.  
  
The jade eyed teenager to whom the knife belonged was pacing the floor in front of it, throwing quick glances back at the knife as though asking it for help.  
  
Lunch had come and went, and now the others were down at dinner. The sun was setting gently behind Hogwarts, an enchanting site. The creamy blues and stone cold grays were mixing together, the touches of pink and yellow dotted in, adding brightness. The wind was whispering a story to all those who would listen. The birds had become silent, the trees still, all outside had stopped to listen to the captivating story and watch as the flawless jewel set silently.  
  
The sky above the Great Hall was slowly becoming darker, showing a dark night ahead, no moon or stars to light the darkness. The students had tilted their heads up, and were watching the glorious sunset as though it was in front of them. They could feel the winds song as it whispered to them, whispering warnings and cautions in the dark night ahead. They could feel the stillness of the forest and the silence of the birds, the utter importance of this sunset, as though it would be the last. They could almost make out the warnings in the wind.  
  
But Harry Potter, who continued pacing in the dungeon, far away from the Great Hall and the sunrise, far away from windows from which to look out of, could not hear the warnings.  
  
The sky was dark when Harry shoved the knife into his pocket and ran out of the dormitory to the Great Hall. The candles had been lit and the sky swirled in only inky darkness as he arrived. The warnings had been whispered, the cautions distributed to those who could hear them, and those who could feel them, and Harry Potter had not heard them, nor had he felt them.  
  
He pulled himself down next to Draco, who shot an odd look at the late teenager, but continued eating and left it for later.  
  
Harry ate in silence, savoring each bite of food, knowing that this meal could be his last. He ignored the looks Draco kept giving him, content on not revealing his plan until he absolutely had to.  
  
Despite being the last to dinner, he finished first, and pulled himself out of his chair. Walking quickly, he left the great hall, leaving the dark sky behind him. He did not see Draco get up and follow him.  
  
The common room was empty, the fire burning gently against the darkness of the stone room. Harry had slumped into a green arm chair in front of the burning flames. The warmth flickered up from the fire, sweeping over him, pouring its heat over him, but he could not feel it.  
  
There was not much he could feel anymore.  
  
He heard the stone wall slide open, and the sound of shoes walking behind him. Without looking, he knew who the boy was.  
  
Draco.  
  
"What if it's not enough?"  
  
The question startled the blonde haired boy, who had not realized Harry was in the room.  
  
"What if what's not enough?" He whispered softly, walking up to Harry, who stood up and stepped away, his back turned towards Draco.  
  
"Everything."  
  
Harry could hear his voice tremble as he said the words. He longed to face Draco, longed to run to him and hold him, longed to tell him he would never leave, he would always be here, longed to tell him it would all be okay.  
  
But in his heart, he knew the words were not true.  
  
"What if everything's not enough?" He continued softly, his words traced with bitter sadness, and he hated himself for it, hated himself for being so weak, for showing this to Draco. "What if I can't do this, Draco?" He whispered, tears beginning to show in his voice. The tears tugged at the corners of his eyes, burning them, but he refused to let them fall, he fought it, fought the weakness. "What if I can't stop him?" He took a shuddering breath, and Draco did not interrupt. Then, shakily, he continued. "What if I fight him, Draco, and I die doing it? What if I fight him but I can not stop him? Will it be enough that I tried? Will it be enough that I gave my life doing it?"  
  
Draco flinched upon hearing Harry mention dying. He had thought about this a lot, the chance of Harry leaving him. And it was not something he wanted to think about. "Harry..." he began, but Harry cut him off, as though he had not heard him. Draco was not sure if he even had.  
  
"What if I stop him, Draco?" He whispered, and as he did, a small, silent tear ran down his face, falling upon his lips, and he could taste the sadness. "If I stop him, would that be enough? Would it be enough that I rid the world of one darkness, but left the so many others free to plaque?"  
  
"What if it is enough?"  
  
Harry could hear the sadness in Draco's voice, the tears that lingered on the ends of his words, threatening to spill.  
  
Harry shook his head and took a deep breath. "I'm leaving Draco."  
  
The words hung in the air. Harry heard Draco sink down into a chair.  
  
His voice was shaking as he whispered, "What?"  
  
"I'm leaving." Harry continued, the tears falling faster now. He longed to see Draco, but he willed himself not to turn around...he couldn't turn around, couldn't let Draco see him this way, not if this was the last time he would ever see him. "I've got to face him, Draco. I've got to face him alone. I-it's the only way."  
  
His voice had become shaky, and the tears had begun to fall freely down his face. He wanted so to tell him how he felt, but he restrained himself. He had decided that day that telling him would not be done.  
  
"Harry," Draco began, and Harry was surprised to hear that his voice was easily as shaken and scared, "Please don't...Please...Y-you'll die. What if you die?" His words were whispered softly, so scared.  
  
"So what if I do?" Harry asked, raw hatred filling up his sad voice, "It doesn't matter, Draco. If I can take him down with me, no one will care. No one cares."  
  
"I do."  
  
The words were whispered softly, and Harry had barely heard him. He begun to think he had simply imagined the words, but Draco spoke again, louder this time, the pain and fear evident in his voice.  
  
"I care about you."  
  
Harry only shook his head, a sinking feeling in his stomach. Of course he cared about him. In the same way that he used to care about Ron and Hermione.  
  
"I know," He began, "and you're my friend too, Draco, but--"  
  
"You don't get it do you?" The words came at him, shouted across the room. Draco had stood up from his chair, his fists clenched, his face mingled with fear, anger and agony. Tears streamed down his face, and his words were lined with hurt. "You don't understand at all!" The words came shouted again, and Harry clenched his fist, unsure of what Draco was trying to say, just willing himself not to tell him how he felt, not to tell him...  
  
He heard Draco sink back into the chair. His next words were muffled, and as Harry turned around he saw his head was in his hands, his eyes tightly shut, blocking Harry out. "That's not what I mean," was what he whispered softly. "That's not what I mean."  
  
Harry crossed the floor before he could think. His hand was draped across the Draco's shoulder, resting on the back of the chair. Draco, feeling Harry's presence looked up. His eyes met Harry's emerald ones.  
  
Harry stood over him, leaning. His breath was hot against Draco's lips, their faces only inches apart.  
  
"Harry..." His name was whispered, and Harry's impulse was to turn around, to apologize, to shrug it off. But he stopped himself. Before he could consider it further, Draco closed the distance, pressing his lips to Harry's softly.  
  
Draco's eyes were closed, and Harry let his flutter softly shut. He felt Draco run his hand through Harry's ruffled midnight hair, and pulled him closer. The kiss ended softly, and Harry's eyes opened. Draco still sat there, his eyes closed, lips swollen slightly. His eyes opened, and he found Harry looking gently upon him. Neither spoke for a moment, and then the silence was cut by Harry who said, in a sad, broken voice, "I'm still leaving, Draco."  
  
Draco's eyes shut, and he turned away as though Harry had hit him. "Dray..." Harry whispered, but Draco just shook his head, another tear falling down his stained cheek.  
  
Harry backed away. Feeling his wand and dagger in his pocket, he sighed, and looked once more at Draco, who still sat; his face turned away, his eyes now open and blank, staring.  
  
"I'm coming back, Draco." Harry whispered softly, and the turned to leave. He was to the stone wall when he heard footsteps coming up behind him.  
  
"Harry--" He felt himself being turned around. Draco stood in front of him, and stared at him for a moment, before leaning in and capturing Harry's lips with his.  
  
Harry turned him around so Draco was pressed against the stone wall. His arms circled around Draco's waist. Draco ran his hand once more through Harry's hair, and Harry prodded Draco's lips gently with his tongue, asking silently for entrance. Draco parted his lips, and Harry ran his tongue over the top of Draco's mouth, issuing a low, ragged moan from deep inside Draco's throat.  
  
They pulled apart and stayed like that for a moment, Harry holding Draco tightly to him, Draco, another tear falling down his cheek, resting his head against Harry's shoulder.  
  
"I believe in you." Draco whispered softly, the same words he had whispered to Harry before, the words that gave him hope, kept him strong.  
  
Harry released him and stepped back, unable to say anything at all. The tears continued down his face as he turned and fled the room.  
  
Draco slid down the stone wall, his head in his hands, sobbing. He had to come back...he had to...  
  
Draco believed in him. But he didn't believe he would come back.  
  
He pulled himself up and fled after Harry, out into the hallway, up the stairs and past the great hall, past the people who were shuffling out, past the people who threw odd glances at the Prince of Slytherin fleeing the castle in tears, and past Hermione who turned from Ron and ran behind him.  
  
The night was dark, and Harry's body can barely be seen, running away from the castle. Hermione stopped next to Draco, looking questionably at him. Draco just pointed at Harry's body.  
  
Hermione's hand flew to her mouth as Draco whispered, "He's gone after him."  
  
Draco, his face etched in agony, tears flowing from his pain-filled blue eyes, his pale face flushed, his lips parted, open in a silent sob, open with no sound coming out, fell to the ground, his knees colliding with the dirt hard, and began to cry roughly.  
  
If there had been a moon out that night to illuminate the sky, if a silver ray of the moon had shown down and caressed Hermione's face, there would have been seen a silent tear falling from her eyes.  
  
If there had been a moon out that night to break the darkness, if a graceful beam had touched Draco's face, there would have been seen love filling his agonized face.  
  
If there had been a moon out that night to light Harry's way, if a beautiful hoary shaft had brought itself upon Harry's face, there would have been seen a horrible pain in his dead eyes.  
  
But the night was dark.  
  
----  
  
A/n: AH! The long overdue kiss(es)! I can't believe it's taken 18 chapters to get them to kiss, and I can NOT believe you guys have actually stayed with me so long!! –Hugs reviewers- I love you all!! Speaking of reviewers...  
  
Thanks to all who reviewed:  
  
Chocolate wolf- Ack! Sorry it's taken me so long to update! I hope you liked it!  
  
Marblez- Lol, I am but I always call everyone man or guy!  
  
crazy-lil-nae-nae- Thank you so much, LOL, your review cracked me up! ((Wayne's world Rocks—I don't know if that's where you got the not worthy thing from but I thought I'd add that in lol)) Don't worry it will all be okay...in the end...MUAHAHAHAHAHA!  
  
NathansGurl- REALLY?! AWWW! –hugs- I LOVE YOU!! ((I'm not insane I swear just hyped up on sugar lol)) I hope you liked this one and thank you so much!  
  
Dragon Tears Wing- AHHHH! Don't hurt me! I updated! I updated!! I hope you liked it! DON'T HURT ME! –runs away-  
  
Emeline- Lol, it doesn't matter, I'm just glad your comp works lol! Lol, you do not suck at writing stories!! I don't know why I always go somewhere...hmm...never thought about it, lol, just like to go on vacation I guess. My screename is Its Life Risk It.  
  
Tara Potter101- Ugh that sucks, both of my sister's comps are broken, mines the only one that will go to the internet...luckily lol, hope you liked it!  
  
CastusAlbusCor- Hope you liked it, I will try to update again, sooner, promise!  
  
p0l- Lol, Zero is a nickname given to me by my sisters/cousin b/c of some extremely weird robot game we played...mind you we didn't want to play it, my cousin is 7 and likes games like that lol, and thank you! –resists obsessive-compulsive/crazy/pet-peeve impulse to correct grammar-  
  
Lady Slone of Snow Mt- Lol, sorry it took me so long, thank you, I had a lot of fun in Mexico, I hope you liked it!  
  
labpotter- REALLY? AHHHH I LOVE YOU!! AHHHH!!! –hugs until cuts of circulation- whoops, sorry bout that...no more sugar for me!! thank you so much!  
  
Dea Puella- LOL, KISSES KISSES!! they kissed ((finally)) took me long enough nay? I hope you liked the kissing, lol; it won't be the last time, I PROMISE! And this chappie was dedicated to you, just like I promised I would so I hope you liked it!  
  
The Dark Flame- lolol, I think that's a threat!! I'll try and update sooner, promise!  
  
Crystalstorm21- Hope you liked it, I'll update sooner next time!  
  
Immortal Tears of- Lol, I'm back sorry it took me so long!!  
  
charlie-potter1- thank you, I had a great time in Mexico! Thanks so much, I hope you liked this chapter, LOL Avril Lavigne...  
  
Hiei's fiancee- Thank you, I had a blast in Mexico! AHHHH HIEI?! Wait...Hiei is awesome! HE KICKS ASS!! still...I don't want him to kick MY ass, soo...I'll update sooner, I swear! SLASHYGOODNESS! finally!! Drastic...yeah...heh...well...he didn't kill himself, right? lol  
  
HedwigPig- So true, the wall will break down and thank you so so so so much I hope you liked this chapter just as much!!  
  
Elebereth- well...if facing Voldemort alone is foolish...lol, I hope you liked it!  
  
witchfire37- Thank you so much I hope you liked this chapter just as much!!  
  
SarkLover- Lol, thank you! Yeah I know it's not really like her ((though it is like Ron isn't lol)) AHHH!! I updated!! Don't make me!!  
  
Okay! Thanks to them and to everyone else! Now, I need you opinions: there are two ways that I can finish this story  
  
Either:  
  
The less emotional but shorter way  
  
or  
  
The more emotional but longer way.  
  
I think I know what I am going to do, but I want to know your opinions. Please tell me, and please review!! 


	19. Running

A/N: AHHHH! GUYS! I AM SO SORRY! I know, I know. It took me so so so so long to update, and I am SO SORRY. I had horrible writers block, I began to write this, but it took so long to finish it! I regret to inform you that this might not be worth the wait, but I promise I will try and make it worth the while next time!! GOD IM SO SORRY!  
  
This chapter is dedicated to XxGoddessOfImaginaryLightxX, whose review made me cry, I laughed so hard! Thanks so much and I hope you liked it!!

P.S.: We're doing the emotional and longer way!!!

---

Pure

Ch.19: Running

----

The night was a deathly dark.

But the dark had no affect on Harry Potter, who ran stealthily through the woods, the darkness closing around on every side. After too many nights of walks under a moonless sky, too many days spent locked in a room with out windows his eyes had become accustomed to the shadows.

He was silent as he ran, his feet treading lightly on the ground, leaving only the slightest print. No twigs snapped under him, no leaves bristled in his wake; the woods were as silent as the grave.

Harry did not know where he was running to, only that he was supposed to be running there, that he was going in the right direction. He could feel an invisible pull, a tug that he had been feeling for a while now, dragging him deeper into the woods, almost involuntarily, pulling him to the place where Voldemort hid, watching and waiting. He did not fight the pull--he had learned long ago that his instincts where something he should trust.

He could still feel Draco's lips against his; he could feel his body pressed against his, his arms wrapped around him, Draco's hand running through his hair. He could still feel the warmth from Draco pouring into him, into his body. He could still feel the sadness that weighed down the air, he could still feel Draco's tears against his neck, his fear that Harry would not come back. He could still see Draco, looking away from him, shaking his head, and he could still hear his name being called to him, and feeling him being turned around.

He could still see Draco's eyes.

The way they looked into his, the way they bore into his eyes, the way the silver stared through him. He could still see the pain in them as they watched him leave, the fear in them. He could still see the way they pleaded at him to stay, to stay with him.

But Harry couldn't stay.

As he ran through the woods, the words echoed back at him, "I do. I care about you."

Care. Care was the word he used. I care about you. He did not say I love you. He said care. Harry knew how he felt about Draco. But he did not know how Draco felt about him.

Care.

He had kissed him. But what was a kiss? The words care echoed in his mind. He used to care about people...about Ron and Hermione. But Draco said that wasn't what he meant. What was the kiss? A moment of passion, a last kiss, knowing he would never see Harry again?

Was Draco venerable? Had he been venerable upon hearing that Harry was leaving and Harry and taken advantage? The questions swirled around in his mind, leaving him breathless.

He stopped for a moment, leaning over and breathing hard. He didn't love him. Draco didn't love him. He couldn't.

Could he?

He turned now, running towards the right, plunging into the trees, the pull was taking him this way now, and he followed it. The woods were whizzing past him, his wand and knife knocking against his knee. Draco's face, his words, his eyes, still lingered in front of him, and he struggled to push them out of his mind, to focus on the matter at hand.

He was running towards Voldemort, towards one of the most powerful wizards in the world, towards a man who threatened the entire wizarding world, towards certain death.

It was then that the prophecy came back to him. He knew one of them would have to die. And he knew the fate of the wizarding world if it was he who met the horrible fate. He could see it, the destruction.

The smoke hung in the air, murky, suspended over the world, a cloud of death. Shops lay in ruins: this place was Hogsmeade. But it didn't look like Hogsmeade. Fires lit the sky, licking at the darkness.

The grass was stained with blood, bodies littered the ground, scattered like child's toys, played with once and then forgotten. They overlapped each other, blood seeping onto the other's bodies.

Faces, eyes staring blankly into space, mouths open in surprise, horror or pain. Some of the faces were familiar. There was Ron's red hair, stained with blood, and Hermione was there her eyes open, staring into the sky, her mouth slightly open.

And there he was.

Draco.

He was lying on the ground, his pale face covered in blood. He lay alone, no body near his. His eyes were open, his shining silver orbs dull, their life lost.

He was gone.

They were all gone. Everyone he had every cared about lay now, scattered in the grass, scattered among others, the good and the bad, the dark and the light, just another face against the bloody grass, holding no meaning to anyone now.

Screams filled the air, sounds of terror. And footsteps. They were running away...from something. The footsteps halted, and the screams grew louder. One long note hit the air, and then was cut off, leaving nothing but silence. Silence that, in itself, was more terrifying then the scream.

A laugh came then, a high, cold, malicious laugh. A dominating laugh. It sent chills through Harry's spine. The laugh rang out over the burning town, the dead bodies. It rang across the sky, over the forest. The laugh rang on forever.

He had won.

It was a dream that had haunted Harry since the day he had learned of the prophecy. He did not know if it was real, a premonition of what would happen if Harry fell, or if it was just something he had imagined. He did not want to find out.

His breath was becoming shallow; his legs were slowly becoming heavier, beginning to feel like lead. He had been running for hours now, the sun was beginning to rise in the dark sky. The students of Hogwarts would be up soon. Draco would be up soon.

Harry didn't know that Draco had never slept.

Draco sat in a circular room. The room was covered with various pictures, all who eyed him suspiciously. He sat in a plush, red chair, in front of a desk. The desk was littered with various magical objects.

Dumbledore's office.

An exasperated sigh slipped past Draco's lips as Dumbledore entered the room. He knew what those questions would be about. Harry.

Dumbledore looked over him; his piercing blue eyes seemed to twinkle less.   
  
"Draco."

His name. His name was all that escaped his lips, but it was enough to drive Draco mad. He wanted to run to the old man, to shake him hard, to yell at him. The way the words were spoken, so softly, so calmly, without the slightest bit of emotion in them. Draco knew that Dumbledore was aware of what had happened last night. And, as soon as Draco gave his account, the school would know.

The old man sat down in the chair across from Draco, and peered at him over his half moon glasses. "Draco." He said again, and Draco ran his hand exasperatedly through his hair. He longed to flee from this place, flee to his room and hide, wait for Harry to come back, wait for the impossible to happen.

He had lay, crumpled on the ground, the tears flowing freely over his face, his face twisted in agony, as he watched Harry disappear into the dark night. Hermione had stood next to him, crying. He had felt her body fall down next to his, heard the whimpers increase. He knew she was there next to him, but he body did not register, nothing registered. He was vaguely aware of Ron walking up, kneeling down next to Hermione, and asking what was wrong. He knew Hermione had pushed him away, shaking her head and turning to Draco, but Draco did not look at her.

He had run inside then, past them, into the dormitory, he had thrown himself down on his bed and pulled the curtains shut, ignoring the odd looks he was getting. The sobs came so easily now, the sobs that he had been hiding inside for so long. They poured out of him, raking his body, and left him feeling so powerless.

"Please..." He whispered, the tears flowing faster, "Harry..." The words choked out of his mouth, and it was all he could manage before he broke down completely. He lay crumpled in the bed, the silence charm he had cast around it keeping his wrenching sobs from reaching the ears of the other Slytherins.

He cried until he couldn't anymore, and then lay in his bed, feeling Harry's lips against his once more.

Hours later Dumbledore found him, staring into the ceiling, and took him to his office, where he sat now.

Draco snapped back to the present as Dumbledore began to speak.  
  
"Draco," He whispered, so serious, but Draco could hear the tinge of sadness in his voice, he could see that the twinkle in his eyes shone less. "I need you to tell me everything about what happened tonight."  
  
Draco sighed. He wanted to leave. He wanted to run, to disappear. Instead, he told his account of what happened, skipping over Harry's kiss. When the explanation was finished, he met Dumbledore's eyes, and was taken aback when saw the silent, crystal tear run down his cheek.

The tear signified one thing, and Draco, realizing it, stumbled out of his chair and ran from the office, down the winding staircase and through the hallways. He did not go to the dungeons, however, but through the double doors.

He ran to the lake, collapsing in front of it, the sobs shaking his body once more.

The sun was beginning to rise.

It told of a different tale now, told of the horrible things yet to come. The warnings that had been whispered last night were disregarded. The night was becoming lighter, and with the sun came a blood red glow. The stories that the sunrise whispered were not ones anyone was yearning to hear, terrible stories, terrible foretelling of things to come.

It was a foresight that none wanted to heed, that no one wanted to take notice of. And so, they did not listen to, they did not hear them, they ignored them, they paid no attention to them. And because of this, they could go on with their lives; they did not know what was soon to come.

But there were two people in the wizarding world that did have to take heed of these that did listen to them now.

The tear that had fallen down Dumbledore's cheek had signified one thing in Draco's mind.

Harry was not coming back.

A/N: okay, I know that was horrible but I promise I will try and make this better next time, and I promise it will not take so long to update next time. SORRY!

Thanks to all who reviewed:

PrOnGs Da GrEaT- Thank you so much! I hope you liked it, and I promise I won't take so long to update next time, so you won't go insane!

Keeper Of Destiny- Thank you! I hope you liked this chapter, and I will update sooner next time!

hellwithit- Lol, thanks so much, I liked your review.

p0l- Whoa, you've been to college, so sorry, I shouldn't be correcting you, now should I? Exactly what do you mean when you say your son would love Zero...?

driven to insanity- Wow, really? It means that much to you? AH! –hugs- ((is hyped up on caffeine)) I did start writing this as soon as I got your review so you would review, but I had horrible writers block and I couldn't finish it! DAMMIT! Anyways, I hope you liked it!

dea puella- Defiantly do NOT want that to happen, of course they'll end up happily ever after –shifty eyes- MUAHAHAHAHAHA!! Emotional and longer way it is and I hope you like the way it turns out! ((of course the fic won't be over for a while...I think that's a food thing ))

marie- Ack thanks so much and I really wish I could, but I can't give out my e-mail address because it has my first and last name in it! Sorry, and I hope you get this.

Immortal Tears of- Lolol, I know exactly what you mean! I hope you liked it, and I promise I won't take so long to update!!  
  
SarkLover- I'll update quickly next time, I promise!! I will do the longer and more emotional way, thanks so much! I hope you liked it! Balls, concerts, woot, sounds like fun! ((depending on what concerts...I'm guessing these aren't Slipknot though, hmm? lol))

Bloodied Turquoise Knives- Well, I'll keep that in mind, I certainly don't want you to die! I hope you liked it! ((P.S. I love your name))

Pip3- Thank you so much!! I hope you liked this chapter, and I will update quicker next time!!

XxGoddessOfImaginaryLightxX- LOL, I know what you mean on the hyper thing, im not insane either!! ((Sure...)) I know, Ron's pissing me off and I'm making him this way! Don't worry, while it will be emotional and everything, I'm tying not to make it sappy. I hope you liked this chapter, it was dedicated to you!! ((sorry you got a sucky one))

NathansGurl- Thank you so much, and I have decided to go with the longer and more emotional way! I hope you liked it!

asphyxiation1013- I do feel very proud of that! Than you so much! I hope you liked this chapter!

charlie-potter1- Lolol, don't worry, everything will reveal itself in time ((I feel the urge to add young grasshopper)) I hope you liked it!

Elebereth- Aw, I hope you liked this chapter just as much ((although I know it wasn't as good lol)) Thank you!

CastusAlbusCor- Thank you so much, angst kicks ass, lol, hope you liked it!!

Shikamaru- Thank you, I will, I hope you liked it.

Serenity- ACK! I AM SO SORRY! I PROMISE I WILL UPDATE SOON! PROMISE! AHHH! IM SOOOO SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG!!

Dragon Tears Wing- -clings to plushie- I KNOW I DIDN'T UPDATE QUICKLY BUT DON'T TAKE HIM AWAY! –sobs- lol! I was given a Rock ((hotness)) plushie once...lol, anyways, thanks so much, I hope you liked it.

Hiei's fiancee- Sorry it took so long! Hiei is awesome, oh yeah! I hope you liked this chapter! Emotional but longer way it is! I will update sooner, I swear!!

Thanks to all of them!! Please review!! I promise I will update sooner! PROMISE!! I hope everyone liked it!!

[I]review![/I]

((does anyone know how to get that damned italics to work?!?!))


	20. The Cave

A/N: Oh. My. God. I am SO sorry. I know I said this last time, but I swear, I am SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO sorry that it has taken me so long to update. Let me try to explain—pathetically—why it has taken me so long. I was going to continue updating, but then school started, which was incredibly overwhelming. I was going to update over Thanksgiving break, and I DID begin writing this chapter, and then my computer blanked and deleted everything I had written! (which is why this chapter isn't the greatest) Then I went back to school, and finals began, which I completely stressed over. Now Christmas Break is here, and it's almost over. I was planning on updating more, but my computer spazzed with all these viruses, and ended up in the shop. We had to delete everything off my desktop. It took me a while to FIND everything again, because everything had been moved to places unknown. Once I did find everything, I couldn't find the rough draft that I had already written! Right now it's 3.30 AM so if this is a bit…off…that's probably why. I know this chapter isn't the best, but I promise that it will get better!

- # -

Pure

Chapter 20: Hideout

- # -

Emerald Slytherin drapes effulged the four-poster bed where Draco Malfoy now lay. Harry had been gone for a week, perhaps more. The concept of time had elapsed from Draco's mind. Nothing seemed to matter anymore.

Hardened eyes stared at the ceiling. Dry eyes, eyes dehydrated from too many tears shed privately. Draco's hands gripped at his bed frame, his knuckles white. His jaw was clenched, strained. He stared steadily at the ceiling, his emotions fixed, his eyes trained and unmoving as he fought the overwhelming emotion not to break down.

His face was etched in sorrow, sadness traced every crevice reflected the pain that he hand undergone since that night. Harry's face haunted Draco, his soft lips, the way they felt pressed against his. His callous eyes, worn and weary, pained with sorrow.

Draco was scared.

It was not a familiar emotion for him, but scared he was. He was frightened at the thought of Harry never coming back, terrified that he might leave him, fearful that he would be left alone forever, left alone without Harry.

He needed him.

**- # -**

The forest had grown dark again, the palpable shadows surrounding Harry as he ran. Days had passed, days of running. Days of sweltering heat and nights of unsettling darkness. It had rained, the heavens screaming in agony as neon lightning shattered its exterior. Harry had screamed with the skies, his face tilted towards the heavens, his face twisted in anguish, his screams laced in pain and misery. Rain fell on his face, the drops stinging Harry's skin, dropping into his eyes. His eyes were shining with the silent tears that ran down his face, the silent regret that beat with every heavy footfall, every pounding step against the dark forest floor, every beat of his grave heart.

Still he ran through the forest. The trees blended together and he lost sight of where he was, but he knew he was going in the right direction, the direction that would lead him right where he didn't want to be, right to the person that he did not want to meet.

And he was getting closer.

He could feel it in his sober heart; he could feel it in the darkness that closed in around him, in the still air. The night grew darker as he ran deeper into the forest, escaping the moonlight. He could sense the dusk getting thicker, the air becoming stale, he could feel the wind leaving him as he ran.

No one had been here in a very long time.

He could sense this as he ran; no one had been in this part of the forest, this deep in the forest, for awhile.

And no one had left it either.

He was still here.

The darkness began to lighten as the sun peaked from between the thick treetops. Harry plunged deeper into the forest, in a desperate and vain attempt to escape from the sunlight. Leaves shuffled in his wake, flying through the stale air, and shimmering softly back to the ground.

The sunlight was sweeping across the grounds, and Harry ran faster, diving in the arcane forest, where the canopy was impenetrable, and sunlight could not reach the floor. The world was flashing by again, glances of color in the darkness, a rare flower growing among the weeds. The trees were rushing by with an eerie swiftness, the trees blending in together once more, shadow surrounding him.

Harry was scared.

The emotion was not unknown to him; he had faced it many times. But this time was a different. He was not afraid of dying, not afraid that each day could be his last. This was a different kind of fear, one that probed him day and night, one that never left him alone. A horrible terror that whispered words of horror into his ears, sent nightmares to him. He was frightened of the potential outcome; he was frightened of what would happen if he could not kill Voldemort. He was frightened for Draco.

Draco.

Harry could see him clearly now, the mesmerizing face dancing beside him, running over the uneven trees. He could feel him, the soft touch of his hand running through his dark hair, the softness of their lips against each other.

And then he was gone.

The face that had haunted his dreams faded into the darkness of the rushing trees, the dimness of the forest shadows. The ebon gloom was swirling around him, and once again he feared he would drown in the coal haze that was closing in around him.

The onyx obscurity was suffocating him, and a sudden shriek pierced it, a fearful scream that broke the swarthy dim.

The scream was not his own.

The wind screamed, shattering the still air. It pounded against the trees, howling in an unsteadying anguish. Leaves ascended into the air, whirling about Harry. Harry screamed with the wind, the deafening air whipped about him, stinging him. His yells burst from his throat, ragged and raw.

Words traveled across the wind, soft murmurs that slowly grew more audible with each pounding footstep, each raucous scream.

HARRY. HARRY. HARRY…

The wind wailed piercingly, and Harry strained his voice to continue screaming with it. His eyes snapped shut, and he clenched his fists, his fingernails digging into the soft skin. He ran blindly, screaming, screaming…

He unclenched his hands and pushed them against his ears, in an ineffective and futile endeavor to stop the horrible screaming.

The wind was rushing about him, whipping around him, lashing against him. Despite his closed eyes he could feel the darkness closing of the forest in around him. His rough yells ripped at his throat, and the miscellaneous sounds suddenly formed words, cries to the wind, please for it to stop.

His foot connected with something hard and he fell against the solid ground, his battered palms connecting with the dirt and digging into it, filling his jagged nails with dirt.

"Stop…" he moaned, and everything rapidly ceased.

Harry…

The words drifted across the wind and then into the darkness.

Harry looked up. He was staring into a cave.

He was there.

# -

A/N: okay, I know that kind of…SUCKED! I'm sorry! I had a terrible time with this chapter. Basically my attitude was just to get through it. I promise the next chapter will be better. I will try and update soon! Again, I am so sorry that it has taken me so long to update this chapter, and I am really sorry that was not exactly worth the wait. In a nutshell: Sorry it took so long, sorry it sucked, I'll update sooner next time, and please review!

Thanks to all my reviews (who might have given up on me by now—I wouldn't blame them):

why-should-i-tell u? – I'm sorry it took so long! Thank you so much for reviewing! (Don't make anything bad happen!)

Sozuki- Lol, thank you! I will update sooner next time!

kila1991- I'm glad you did too, thank you!

Jepoliant- Thank you! And I'm sorry—don't worry, I'll never forget about this one!

marauders4ever- lolol hotness (sorry—it's now 4.30 AM and I'm really hyper) I'll update sooner next time! I won't kill Harry –shifty eyes-

Cherry0214- AH! HOLY HELL! NOT THE GIANT LADYBUGS! –runs away- ((I won't take as long to update next time!))

Mandie- LOL thank you, I loved your review! I love the soft side of the "bad boys" ((I sound really insane I know—to late/early, 4.30 AM and I've had too much sugar!))

Damn-my-name-was-taken- Lmao. Niiice. Dude school in 4 frickin days! I'm going to kill something! And school means report cards…DAMN GEO!! She should die. UPDATE YOUR STORY JO!!

ASquealinfgYaoiFanGirl- Lol, well I'm sorry to make you cry, but thank you very much!

shorty-girly- thank you so so very much!

p0l- haha, yes I am! I tend to do that when I'm not sure what else to write. And thank you.

Vespalady- Well thank you so much. Am I hard on myself? Lol, sorry about the cliffie! I'm afraid I do that a lot! But I won't take so long this time!

dea puella- I'm sorry! –cowers under desk- I'll try not to kill him…BWUAHAHAHAHAHA! –twitch-

Immortal Tears of- Lol no don't stop reading the story! He'll come back –shifty eyes- lol-muahahahaha

yamata dragon- Sorry it has taken so long!

Xylia Dark- Thank you so much—sorry it has taken so long to update!

Lots Of Blonde Moments- I like your new name. Sorry it has taken me so long to update!

charl1e- Lol, thank you! I loved your review!

jonina selbie ) – Wow, thank you so much! I hope you liked this chapter; sorry it took me so long to update.

Lucifer's Toy- Wow, thank you so much. I'm sorry I made you cry! I hope you liked this chapter, and I'm sorry it took me so long to update!

Yafit- I'm sorry it made you cry! But thank you so much for your review, and I hope you liked this chapter!

deathangelofdarkness- Thank you! I am sorry it has taken me so long to update!

Labpotter- LOL, I will remember that!

PrOnGs Da GrEaT- Lol, well don't worry you won't be alone—I haven't had my sanity for quite some time. Sorry it has taken so long for me to update!

driven to insanity- Lol. Sleepy? I know the feeling. I can not go to sleep…it's almost 5 AM now and I still haven't been able to sleep. I am going to crash soon.

CastusAlbusCor- Yes I know, and neither is this one. Very sorry, and I hope that you will stay with me—I promise that they will get better.

Elebereth- LOl, why must I insist on torturing him? But thank you so very much!

Hiei's fiancee- Lol, I LOVE that review! And thank you for the other one (I expect my plushie! Lol, no jk, but thank you so much) I am pretty sure that I have dedicated a chapter to you before, but I loved your review so much, and I appreciate that you didn't give up on me and reviewed again! So, this chapter is dedicated to you (sorry it was a sucky . )

CheshireCat04402- LOL thank you so very much! I am so excited, I made it past the 300 point—This is the first time I have made it into triple digits! Thank you so very much (again) sorry for taking so long to update, and I promise it will not take so long next time!

SarkLover- Thank you, and sorry it took me so long to update! Warped Tour? That's awesome! (I'm jealous lol)

YET ANOTHER AUTHOR NOTE: again, I am so sorry that it took so long to update! I know that this chapter is incredibly short and rather boring and extremely sucky, but I will try and make it up in the next chapters! Thank you to everyone who has stuck with me—I know I've been awful, not updating and all, but thank you and please review!


	21. The Hideout

FOR EVERYONE WHO READ CHAPTER 20 BEFORE THE CHANGES WERE MADE, IT WAS CAVE NOT CAGE! I AM SO SORRY!

A/N: it is official. I am the worst person EVER. I know, I know, it's been...what, 7 months since I've updated? I feel as though I should go and grovel at every single one of your feet. I know you're thinking, well she says she's sorry this time, and she PROMISES that she's going to update soon, but she did that last time! Seriously, though, I AM going to update sooner! …Hopefully. (I make no promises) I'm sorry this chapter took me SO DAMN LONG, I actually had writers block for the entire time. I cannot tell you how many times I sat down at the computer and attempted to write this, but came up with nothing. The sentence that actually starts this chapter is so inane it's rather funny. I truly can't believe that it took be 7 months to come up with this sentence. But time for some good news: I know exactly what happens every chapter after this. So this time, when I say that I'll update sooner, I actually will. (But don't kill me if I don't, I'm really going to try, but I never know what the future holds, who knows what might happen?) I leave for New York in a week, and I'll be gone for a week with no internet, but I will write while I'm gone. Well enough of this...like anyone reads these things anyways...lets get back to the story!

This chapter is dedicated to: Midnytestars, whose review touched me and found me at a loss for words. Thank you for your wonderful compliments.

-----

Pure

Chapter 21: The Hideout

-----

The sky was blue.

Draco had been noticing this increasingly since Harry left. It wasn't some sudden revelation, or an unexpected finding. The sky had always been blue, and Draco had always known that it was. But it was the particular shade of blue that astounded Draco. It was a warm, gentle blue, the kind of blue that one only saw on a rare summer day. The specific blue reminded Draco of soft summer winds and quiet spring rains, proud mountains and the flowers that bent to them in the breeze. It reminded him of all the things he had never seen, and may never see.

It was true that the sky had always been blue, and, Draco supposed, it always would be. The day after Harry left, the sky was blue. This, however, did not seem fitting. Harry was gone. The birds continued chirping, the stars continued to twinkle, rain still fell. And through it all, Draco wondered. How could there things continue, as though nothing happened? How could the rest of the world continue on? How could everyone else go about their lives, when Draco's own life had been shattered?

----

Darkness surrounded Harry Potter. It was not the normal darkness that shadowed him, the perpetual, grim obscurity of insignificance that followed him. No, this was a simple darkness, the absence of light.

He had been wandering about in the cave for some time now. The sun must have been shining outside, but the brightness did not penetrate the darkness that now surrounded him.

Harry pulled out his wand and lit the dimness. His eyes roamed over the walls that enveloped him. The cave walls were disfigured; scratches ran across them, jagged, horrible scrapes, and fragments where pieces of rock had fallen away. Dark splashes of blood stained the rocky enclosure, Harry could smell it, the terrible smell of pain and torture. Screams lingered in the cave, Harry could almost hear them, horrid shrieks that ripped from their raw, ragged throats as their bodies arched in staggering pain. Souls loitered here; Harry could feel their presence, battered, shattered spirits, bloodthirsty for revenge.

_Something awful happened here... _

A barely audible whisper echoed across the cave, a murmur that took Harry by surprise, but the language was still recognizable. The parseltongue words bounced off the cave, and Harry quickly extinguished the light and flattened himself against the wall. However, the voice slowly drew fainter until Harry was effulged in silence once again.

Illuminating the cave with light once more, Harry moved slowly down the corridor where the voices had come from. He kept the light low and under his cloak, to stifle it.

He was almost there.

Harry inched along, still pressed against the wall, and ready to extinguish the dull light that shone from his wand at any moment. The voice he had heard earlier was growing louder, though it was now speaking in English. It was whispering to a silent partner, but Harry did not bother to listen to the words. He could barely hear them over the beating of his heart.

Light was flowing from an arch way, and Harry crept toward it. Inside were two men, both recognizable. One a small, balding man, his watery eyes rapidly moving about, wary of all around him. He was cradling one of his hands; it looked like he was wearing a very odd silver glove. Harry knew him as Peter Pettigrew, or Wormtail. The other man he could not see, for he was sitting in an armchair. But his voice was familiar, and Harry had no doubt to who sat there.

Voldemort.

It was then that Harry began to listen what they were saying. Voldemort was explaining about the Death Eaters, and Harry, who had been wondering why he had not yet run into any of them, leaned in to hear.

"Of course they didn't know where I was located," the voice was explaining, "it was the safest thing at the time, what with the Ministry scouting for us. As incompetent as they are, I felt it best not to disclose anything to them, incase, if captured, there was nothing that they could tell, even under a truth potion."

Wormtail was nodding, but looking cautiously at something that Harry could not see.

Moving closer, he saw that it was a snake.

"I've told them now," the voice continued, "since the plan has come together so nicely. They should be here shortly."

Wormtail nodded, still staring at the snake that was now looking at him in a malicious hunger.

"And speaking of the plan," Voldemort continued, turning around in his chair, "hello, Harry."

----

"I _told_ you," Draco said in an exasperated tone, "I don't know where he is."

Hermione peered across the table at him. Her eyes were red and her voice was hoarse, a product of the strenuous anxiety that she had undergone in the last week, much like Draco's own.

She had asked him to meet her in the abandoned classroom at lunch, and Draco immediately knew who it was about. Not a day passed by when Draco wasn't asked about Harry, as he was the last one to talk to him. In the week that had passed, it had become very clear to everyone what had happened, though they were a bit uncertain about the details. It was, after all, quite hard to hide the disappearance of someone like Harry Potter. Draco was surprised that Hermione had waited so long to ask him about what had happened to her former best friend, but, by the looks of it, she was as remorseful about Harry's departure as he was.

"Draco," she said, and Draco had a momentary flashback to Dumbledore's office, "please. If you know anything-"

Draco cut her off, and rubbed at his aggravated eyes. "I don't. I don't have any idea where he is. I've told you everything I know."

Hermione watched him through evaluating eyes; they roamed over him, analyzing him. Finally she spoke, her voice patient, so patient that it drew fire from Draco's soul, enraged a part deep inside of him. Her voice was so calm, and it killed him, for he knew there was a battle raging inside of her, and he wanted to call it out. Her voice, so placid, challenged him, for it sounded as though she was good natured, uncaring. He wanted her to feel.

"Draco," she said, "I know you may feel the need to protect him--"

"Well I didn't do a very good goddamn job did I?" The words ripped from his throat, raw with the anger and despair that had plagued his mind for the last week, the desolation that lingered in the darkness of his mind.

The words startled Hermione, but it was the pain that laced them that was truly distressing. It bore into her, the horrible anguish that tore from him and slammed into her, true misery that allowed her to see inside of him, if only for a moment.

"This isn't your fault, Draco," she said, though her voice was slightly strangled now, "you can't think this is you fault. It-it's not, Draco--"

"I could have stopped him," he whispered, and his voice was so tortured that Hermione wanted to reach across the table, to comfort him, but she did not, she only looked up, and a small gasp escaped from her.

Draco was leaning against the table, his head in his hands, a small, silent tear escaping from his pained eyes.

"I could have helped..." He whispered, pain tracing ever syllable of his anguished-filled lexis.

"No," Hermione whispered, "no, Draco, you couldn't have. But if you have any information pertaining to where he is, please--"

"I don't!" Draco yelled it, slamming his hands against the table, a sob ripping from his tattered throat. "I don't." Another tear slipped inaudibly from his eyes, and he whipped it away in anger. "If," he said softly, but his voice was steady and rough, "I knew where he was, don't you think I would have gone after him by now?"

Hermione looked at him, her eyes scrutinizing him once again. She watched as yet another tear escaped from his saddened eyes, and again he wiped it away, and looked from her, shame radiating from every part of his unstable being. Realization ripped into her, and she felt her body reel as it hit her, and tore the veil from her ignorant eyes. And then she spoke, as soft as he had,

"You love him, don't you?"

He met her eyes, brown clashing with blue. His eyes were so aggrieved that she had to force herself not to look away. And when he spoke, there was a wounded tone to his voice. He sounded so small, so fragile, like a lost child.

"Yes."

----

A/N: BUAHAHHAHAHAHA! There you have it. You knew it, I knew it, Draco knew it, now Hermione knows it, when will Harry figure it out? Anyways, I know worst chapter EVER right? Well, it accomplished what needed to be accomplished. I'm really sorry that it sucked so badly, now that I've regained control on my story I'm sure it will be better. I hope you enjoyed it, even though you probably didn't. Don't give up on me, okay? It'll get better, promise. Anyways, review please! I swear, your reviews are really what helped me write this chapter (whether that be a good thing or a bad thing), so please review!

Speaking of reviewing, thanks to all who did:

Water my blood fire my spirit: Thank you so much! I'm sorry this chapter was horrible, stick with me; I promise the next one will be much better!

Akusaa: I suppose I deserve something bad to happen to me then! I'll update sooner! Really!

Female half - breed: Thank you so much! That is such a compliment!

Salazar4ever: Haha, thank you! I'm sorry this one wasn't as good, but I swear the next chapter will be better!

CuriousDreamWeaver: Thank you! I had a lot of fun making the characters the way I wanted them to be…buahahaha…

Kari Morgana Black: I'm sorry I updated so slowly, it will be faster next time! (Hopefully)

Shorty-girly: Thank you, the last chapter wasn't so bad, but this one really DID suck! It'll get better (I hope)

Altariel Eldalote: Lol, thanks kitty! –Goes crazy-

XoANGELICBABExo: Thank you! That's such a compliment. I know I was the exact same way. I accidentally read a story that involved slash, without actually realizing what it was about or who the characters were. And just like that, I was hooked on slash. I guess that's all it takes! Thanks for the review, keep reading!

DarkFlame: AHHHHH! I UPDATED! Well, not very quickly, but I did update! hides But you have to admit, this chapter DID suck. I mean, even if the last one didn't, this one was HORRIBLE. It's okay, you can say it. (Just don't kill me)

Gremlin15: Oh, crap. I wish I had remembered that. You haven't lost faith in the human race, have you? Because I didn't mean to cause something like that! Really, just writers block.

Helkardowen: wow, 20 chapters straight? I would die! But thank you! I'm sorry the update took so long, it shan't next time! (Hopefully)

...: AH! I'm sorry it took so long to update, and I'm sorry I made you cry!

Look right through me: thank you! Okay this one WAS awful though! You can't deny that! Thank you for the compliments on my writing though, they meant a lot! About the voices and everything…in time…-buahahahahaha-

Midnytestars: Thank you very much! –High fives back- Yes, it took forever to update…hopefully it won't next time. I really don't know what to say to your review, it was just so wonderful. I'm completely lost for words, so I dedicated the chapter to you. I'm quite sorry you got the crappy one, and I hope you believe in the saying "it's the thought that counts"

Wowsergirl: Lol, I'm sorry that it took so damn long to update! I hope it won't next time!

Morbid-Sincereity: Thank you very much! I will update sooner next time.

Dea Puella: Thank you! You're the only reviewer that actually said it wasn't as good as normal. I can't imagine what you'll think of this one then, it was so bloody awful. Feel free to be brutally honest, though.

Hiei's fiancee: YAY! Harry and Draco plushies! –Evil look in eye- oh and a toaster oven! Those are always fun. God, 189 days till HBP when you updated, and now it's out! It really has been forever since I've updated this. Are you done with HP6 then?

PrOnGs Da GrEaT: I'm sorry I didn't! And I'm sorry if you were disappointed in what I DID update...hopefully it will get better!

Immortal Tears of: my god, I really am lazy aren't I? I won't take so long with the next one! Sorry this chapter was bad!

BurningEmeraldEyes6: Thank you so very much, yes that sounds like something I would do. I can't email you but I will try to IM you if I see you online!

kichigai3: Lord, 1 to 118? You're insane! Thank you, though! I will update –much- sooner next time!

kichigai3: LOL. I do love the cliffhangers. Although I hate it when people do them to me. Hmm...

kminyufreak5: oh, thank you so much! I feel very special! –Beams- Here, have a plushy!

Mintapotter: Thank you! Yes I'm not sure if my writing is unique or just weird…oh well, either way!

Homestar-fan: Oh I am so sorry, it was cave. I tried to change that like a million times but my damned computer was being very slow. I think it's changed now… (It better be after 7 months) Anyways, thank you, yes I also like ch. 18 the best.

Jen: Lmao! Nice, I like it! Yes, I know they're very short…yeah I think this one was 5 pages, but that's with spaces and all...

p0l: Yes, lots of that didn't make sense (same with this chapter) I've been having trouble piecing my thoughts into words, but I decided I might as well just do it, no matter how bad the outcome was. Thank you for the compliments, though, and good luck with your novel!

Doxie: ah, yes, my computer won't let be do some things, so the transitions are always weird. –Hits computer- (That didn't make very much sense, did it?) Ah well...

Labpotter: lol, I'm sorry it took so long, and it was cave, I can't believe I missed that when reading the story over! Well I don't know if you picked that up or not but I hope you did. So sorry for the confusion!

Prongs1: Thank you, and I'm sorry it took so long

XRazorblade KissesX: I'm sorry it took so long to update. Buahaha…yes…you shall see in time –evil mode-

Depressed Gothic Raven: Thank you and I'm sorry I didn't update sooner.

Denna: Buahahahaha…oh yes…you shall see. I'm sorry I made you cry, though!

DeadlyNightshade: haha, thank you so much! I like angsty things, but I hope this story doesn't make you too sad; I hate it when that happens!

Lots Of Blonde Moments: lol, I'm sorry it took sol long. You probably have no idea what's going on in the story, but I hope you stick with it!

SarkLover: Oh, I'm so sorry, it was cave! I cannot believe I missed that! Erg! I hope that makes everything a bit clearer!

CastusAlbusCor: Thank you very much, and I will try to update sooner next time!

Okay well there you have it! Officially the WORST chapter I have ever written! I'm sooo sorry, I really couldn't think of how to write it, so I just…wrote it. Maybe not the best idea, but it got the job done.

Anyways, the next chapter should be better! Please review and to everyone who has stuck with me, have a plushie!

-Throws plushies to all reviewers-


	22. The Last Day

A/N: Okay, I know you all hate me. You have the right to hate me. It's been over a year, hasn't it? I don't know, because I'm making sure not to look at the last updated date. But I'm back! I have a billion excuses, none of which you care to hear. I really considered just letting this fanfic die and fade away into the obscurity that is the back pages of the Harry Potter section, but I thought I'd better update just incase anyone is actually still reading this thing.

OH! There is a curse used that I said was temporary…which it is (seriously, look it up) BUT I don't know if that means it would wear off with time or would have to be removed by the caster…anyways, I said it would wear off with time, and if that's wrong, just go with it anyway.

This chapter is dedicated to everyone who has actually stuck with me (lets hope a couple of you did)

And so, finally:

-----

Pure

Chapter 22: The Last Day

-----

If Harry had known this would be the last day of his life, he would not have left Hogwarts without first accomplishing a few things. In no specific order, had Harry known he was to die today, he would have forgiven Ron and Hermione, thanked Dumbledore before he left, told Hagrid how much he had helped him and, probably most importantly, revealed to Draco exactly how he felt about him.

If he had known.

The problem was, leaving Hogwarts, for all his dramatic proclamations and self-sacrificing speeches, Harry did not know he was going to die; moreover, he was no longer sure had wanted to. So, being unaware of his imminent demise, Harry had left the castle without doing any of these things, and, as he reached the cave on what was the last day of his life, Ron and Hermione were not forgiven, Dumbledore was not thanked, Hagrid was never shown his deserved appreciation, and, most importantly, Draco was unaware of just how Harry felt about him.

However, Harry, still oblivious to the fact that he was going to die today, did not focus on any one of these unaccomplished tasks as he faced Lord Voldemort for what would be the last time in his life.

Instead Harry, who by now was having significant trouble breathing, focused on Voldemort's last spoken words.

"Hello, Harry."

They were rather simple words, Harry contemplated, and were not uncommon to him; he had heard them at many different times in his life: being greeted warmly by friends and coldly by his aunt and uncle, mispronounced as Hagrid enclosed him in a smothering hug, spoken smoothly as Dumbledore peered at him with twinkling eyes over half-moon glasses, giggled by girls in the hallway, and whispered by Draco as though the words themselves were a secret.

But the way Voldemort spoke these words were nothing like those times; their diction was nothing like the affectionate tone spoken by friends, nothing like the cautious murmur from Draco, not at all akin to the silliness that the girls said them with, they were not even spoken with the same malicious coldness found so often in the Dursley's voices.

These words were spoken with a strange calmness, one that Harry had not heard in someone's voice for a very long time; they were spoken with the tranquility of someone who was not worried or afraid, and that was a very uncommon characteristic in times of war.

Voldemort's appearance was unchanged from the last time Harry saw him, still skeletally thin, pale as death with a flat nose and slit eyes so thin they resembled that of snakes, shining out a brilliant scarlet. Despite his emaciated form Harry could feel a new strength about him, rekindled from the time in hiding.

He rose to his feet, a ghost of a smile playing about sallow white lips, and approached Harry, who, despite his obvious confusion, remained in place.

Voldemort watched him through small eyes, twirling his wand in bony fingers. Harry's grip tightened on his wand, but he could not bring himself to point it at the snake-like man.

It happened quickly, anticlimactically. Harry had been expecting long, drawn out speeches and dramatic fights, cursing and swearing and explaining and, finally, begging, until death came to one, or possibly both, of them. And in this mistaken assumption, Harry had not been ready for Voldemort's quick arm raise, his simple shout, the two obvious words. He had not been prepared for the luminous flash of green light, green like his eyes had been and like his mother's eyes, and therefore was not fully ready for the death that came when the light slammed him to the floor.

Cruel laughter rang over throughout the cave and over the forest, ripping harshly from the throat of the victorious man as the boy who lived died.

----

Draco shot up in bed, ripped from a nightmare. Sweat covered the boy, and he rushed from his bed to the window, the floor cold against his bare feet. The wind felt good against the blonde boy's face, nipping against his already flushed cheeks. But chill air could not pacify him tonight, as he watched the moon hang over shadowed land.

It was a reoccurring dream of his, Harry's death. It had been for some time now, and despite how hard he tried to convince himself it was just a dream, he could never quite get Harry's look of surprise out of his mind.

Draco remained at the window for some time before returning to his bed and stripping from his perspiration-soaked pajamas and donning his day clothes. He then made his way to the common room, where the remainder of a fire glowed softly, still not completely extinguished from a late-night study group.

Draco knew from experience that he would not fall back to sleep that night, but would remain awake to see the sun rise, gleaming, and wash the darkened land with its bright rays. He knew he would be the first to breakfast that morning, and that he would hurry out quickly before the morning rush of students greeted him with sad and curious eyes. Classes would continue as usual, in the attempt to keep students occupied, and Draco would rush to each one with his head down, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle and the rest of the Slytherin house, blocking him from view. He would remain quiet in class, doing his work dutifully and nothing else, and odd change from the old wise-cracks that used to be his norm. Lunch and dinner would follow the same pattern as breakfast, hurrying in and out as quickly as possible, if not avoiding the charade altogether. He would do his homework in bed with the curtains drawn as the rest of the house remained in the common room, carrying on as normal as was possible. Sleep would come quickly and early, but, as always, would be interrupted by the vivid dream of Harry's death, and the vicious cycle would continue from there.

And it was, with this to look forward to, that Draco Malfoy curled up on an armchair and watched as the embers of the fire glinted softly until ultimately flickering out, enveloping the boy in darkness.

----

Some many miles away, Harry stood in the opening of room in a dark cave, on what might or might not be the last day of his life.

Voldemort was standing in front of him, the new strength indeed radiating from him.

"Hello, Harry."

The words lingered in the air, and Harry marveled at them, at their pure impact. Voldemort twirled his wand between bony fingers and his sallow white lips hinted at a ghost of a smile as he watched the odd, confused look playing across Harry's worn features.

"The Plan", Voldemort had said. What plan, Harry was unsure, but a plan. More specifically, Harry thought, as Voldemort watched him through scarlet eyes, a trap for him.

Voldemort's twisted smile was more prominent now, as he watched Harry put everything together. Red eyes glinted as Harry realized why he had been drawn here, why he had such an innate sense of direction in the forest. Green clashed on red as Harry met Voldemort's gaze, his own lips closed in a straight line.

"So you see, Harry," Voldemort began, the explanations Harry had been expecting beginning, "that I brought you here."

Harry said nothing, forcing his eyes to stay fastened to Voldemort's cruel ones. Voldemort smiled at the boy's silence, and continued softly.

"You didn't actually believe you could just find this place on your own did you, Harry? I have taken all the precautions possible to hide this cave from every eye, whether muggle or magical. Surely you didn't think you could just happen to stumble upon the hideout of the greatest wizard the world has ever seen? You are not that clever, boy."

Harry stood in place, watching as the man paced in front of him, silent humor playing about his features. As he heard the speech, feeling, as he always did when Voldemort spoke to him, that the dark wizard had somehow planned what he was going to say, he realized just how ignorant he was to believe he _could_ find it by himself. Of course Voldemort would have protected the cave with every spell he could find—the best wizards in the world were not able to find the den, what had made him, Harry, think he could find it so easily?

As the quiet understandings ran through Harry's mind, Voldemort began to speak again, his obvious amusement reflected in the tone of his voice.

"I led you here, just like I planned. Did you think the whisper of your name was the forest? Did you think it the wind? I was leading you here, it wasn't hard. All I needed was you to come to the forest, and then I could bring you here quickly, easily, like a puppet on a string."

Delight played across his hollow features as he imagined Harry his own marionette, easily manipulated.

"And I know, you're wondering, how did I know that you would leave the castle? How could I predict that you would be stupid enough to leave the safety of that godforsaken castle and come find me, alone? Because I know you, Harry. I know who you are, and you're character, and that damning hero complex you've got. It was only a matter of time before you left to find me by yourself."

Harry, finally finding words, opened his mouth to speak, but, when he did, his words came out in a dry whisper, scratching against a sandpaper throat.

"That seems risky, even for you—"

"Oh my boy," he continued wickedly, "nothing about it was risky. You see, Harry, I did not simply rely on my instincts that you would leave, though they were correct. I was watching you, all the time. I know what you're thinking: how? How could I be watching you, what with your precious Dumbledore and Hogwarts staff constantly monitoring you? Because I had an inside, Harry, someone they would never expect. Someone close to you, who you trusted, despite recent fights. Oh, and she did a great job acting, didn't she, Harry?" Voldemort's mouth twisted into a mocking smile, his eyes glinting fiercely as he raised his voice into a girlish pitch, ""Oh Harry, this isn't what I wanted at all. I just told Ron what you had s-said to me, and when he s-saw the way you w-were dressed, and w-when you sat with—with—them, he just l-lost it.""

The mimic of Hermione's wail, from what seemed like so long ago, enraged Harry. "I don't believe you!" The scream came from the sandpaper throat harshly, raw and rough, dripping with confusion and defiance.

And half of him didn't believe him, didn't believe that the sweet, innocent girl he had known for so many years would betray him like this. But the other half could see how it would fit together—Hermione's pushing him to go, begging him to be the savior, watching him and Draco. He was almost completely sure that he had seen Hermione turn and run with Draco as he fled the castle, so many nights ago. It was perfect really—she could tell Voldemort everything Harry was doing, she could report at how close he was to leaving the castle and push him to go, while pretending to be supportive of him. When he left, she would contact the dark wizard, tell him Harry was on his way. It was perfect.

"You bastard!" Harry screamed words and hate mixed in one, knuckles turning white as they clutched at his wand. "You bastard! How! How?"

Voldemort's laugh came out loudly and hatefully, ringing about the cave. His twisted smile widened as he saw Harry put the puzzle together fully, saw Harry realize his absolute plan.

"She isn't as perfect as you thought, Harry," came the soft, vindictive words. "It's all a matter of leverage, really."

With a flick of his wand, an image appeared in between them. It was a stone room, much like the stone that surrounded Harry now, in the darkness and depth of the cave. But it was barren, unlike the room that Harry now stood in. There were no fireplaces or chairs in this room, just shadow and the look of despair. And in the corner of the bleak room, with their hands tied firmly to metal rings above their heads, and blindfolds blocking the desolate prison from view, were the two muggles Harry had recognized as Mr. and Mrs. Granger.

With another wave of his wand, Voldemort made the image disappear, so that the two were facing each other again. Harry's green eyes were full of understanding and hatred now, and his fingernails were digging so hard into his palm that blood was beginning to come, staining his wand.

Voldemort's smile had not yet receded. "And now that you are here, Harry," he continued, and Harry could feel that the explanation period of this day was almost finished, "it is time for you to die."

"Crucio!" The word exploded from Voldemort unexpectedly, and Harry just barely dodged it, throwing himself recklessly against the opposite wall. Wormtail, who had previously been watching the explanations in horror, gave a frightened yelp and hurried from the room.

Harry frantically searched his mind for any spell to scream at Voldemort, however, before he had time to fire one back at the dark wizard, another Cruciatus curse came flying at him, sending Harry fleeing behind the chair that Voldemort had previously been sitting it.

Voldemort's laugh was screaming across the cave, calling him to come out. He was going to die. Harry could feel it, as he crouched behind the armchair, much like when he had hidden behind the stone in the graveyard years ago. He was going to die and there was nothing he could do about it. Had Harry had time to think about this obvious and unavoidable death, he probably would have realized the things that he had left unaccomplished upon leaving Hogwarts. However, as another unforgivable curse came pounding against the back of the chair, Harry did not have time to think about these things.

Instead, he emerged quickly, screaming the first spell he could remember.

"Conjunctivitis!"

The Conjunctivitis curse, which made the recipients eyelids crust together, did exactly what Harry was hoping: bought him time. Voldemort, caught off guard between screaming curses at Harry, was promptly attacked by the optic-targeting curse.

Harry dodged passed him quickly as Voldemort muttered the counter-curse, and began running swiftly down the dark hallway, trying desperately to remember the way he came. He could hear Voldemort's footsteps rushing behind him, moving easily down memorized hallways.

"Impedimenta!" Harry screamed, shooting the spell blindly behind him in a vain attempt to slow Voldemort down. Spells with names he didn't know or couldn't hear were shooting towards him, grazing his hair and hitting the walls in front of him.

There was a dead end in front of Harry, only sharp, black rocks to greet him. He turned suddenly, veering towards another passage, but Voldemort's shout of "Incendio" brought a wall of fire up in front of him, blocking his only escape. Heat radiated from the fire, the flickering flames reflected in the sadness of Harry's eyes, and he turned slowly to face Voldemort.

Harry's shout of "Petrificus Totalus!" was yelled in unison to Voldemort's "Incarcerous!", and ropes sprang around Harry at the same time that Voldemort went temporarily rigid.

Harry's body landed with a thud on the cold stone floor, his wand rolling a few feet from him. Voldemort was only provisionally immobilized; the spell was not permanent and would wear off within a matter of minutes. Making use of this time, he quickly untied himself and grabbed his wand, running passed the inflexible wizard and back down the hallway.

He raced down the hallway, footsteps slamming against the stone floor and echoing off the walls in a perpetual beat. Hurdling himself around the corner, he found himself back where he started, in the room lit by the fireplace.

He considered his options. He knew the only way out of the cave was back the way he had came, towards Voldemort who was, by now, coming out of the spell Harry had cast. Delving further into the cave could only end in his getting lost, and Voldemort's unending knowledge of the cave's passageways made it more than likely that he would find Harry. It seemed clear to the dark-haired boy now, what he had to do. He had to finish mission he had set out on: he had to kill Voldemort, despite the consequences.

He could hear footsteps slapping down the hallway and coming closer to the room Harry now found himself trapped in. There was a strange calmness in the air, mixed with dread, the same serenity that Voldemort had spoken with earlier. Harry found it odd that it was coming from him, especially now, only moments before what he was sure would be his death.

The footsteps hit the ground hard, and Harry fought the urge to count them, they way he had counted the rumbles of thunder before the strike of lightening when he was younger. In the moments that passed before Voldemort rounded the corner, Harry thought of Ron and Hermione, Ron who seemingly hated him now and Hermione who had sent him to his almost unavoidable death to save her parents, both who, somewhere in the castle, were never forgiven; he thought to Dumbledore, who had peered at him over half-moon spectacles more times than he could count, who had helped him so spectacularly in so many ways, and now, residing in his office, was never thanked; Hagrid, who had been there for him from the very beginning until the very end, now somewhere in his lonely hut, accompanied only by Fang, never knew how he had helped Harry; and, most importantly, Draco, who had solely been there for Harry in last months, who had kept him alive, who now laid in an armchair, watching the sun rise and wash the shadows from the land, never knew that Harry loved him.

Voldemort entered the room, on what Harry assumed was now the last day of his life. Harry did not beg, as he had expected he would. Voldemort's pale cheeks were slightly pink, his scarlet eyes no longer humorous but burning with anger. Breath came in snarls, and he raised his wand, launching two unforgivables, one after another.

"Crucio! Avada Kedavra!"

Harry met the curses with the shout of "Protego!". The Cruciatus curse hit him hard, knocked him backwards into the wall, withering in fit of pain and unstoppable screaming. His body was on fire, he screamed until he ran out of words and then screamed hatred and pain, eyes shut as the magnitude of the torture washed over him.

The second curse however, was deflected by the shield.

In Harry's immense convulsion of pain he did not see the brilliant flash of green light, green like Harry's eyes were and mother's eyes, bounce off the shield and hit Voldemort full in the chest, his face wearing a look of surprise very much akin to the one that Harry wore in the dream that so often visited Draco Malfoy.

The pain which spread across Harry's body stopped suddenly, but transferred just as suddenly to his head, his scar burning with a white hot pain, the sound of hatred ripping his throat raw until he spat up blood; he clamped his hands against his forehead but repealed in anguish as they were burned; he knew his head was going to split, he was going to die, he couldn't breathe, couldn't see, could only scream.

And, for one brief second, the world was silent as Lord Voldemort and The-Boy-Who-Lived fell simultaneously to the ground.

---

A/N: Well I hope you liked the chapter! No, it's not the end of the story. I'm not going to respond to all of the reviewers like I normally do because (1) a whole bunch of you guys reviewed (yay!) (2) I heard somewhere we couldn't do that anymore…that was a really long time ago though, so I don't know if it's true and (3) some people have been complaining that it takes up too much room BUT I do appreciate all of your reviews so if you want me to respond to you, just tell me when you review (which you will, right?), and I'll do it!

Thanks so much for reading and for staying on this long. I can't say how long it'll be until I update again, but I PROMISE it will not be that long. I actually know where the story is going now, always a good thing.

Now push that review button. You haven't in a really long time, and come on, I know you want to.


	23. The End of the War

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter (I've been forgetting to put these on the last couple of chapters, so I'd just like to emphasize it)

A/N: I'm so sorry it took this long! I know I said it wouldn't, and it did, and I'm a horrible person. But hey, I'm back, and I haven't given up on this fic yet. I re-read the whole thing, and oh my God, did you guys put up with a lot of spelling mistakes. How many times did I actually spell "haunting" "haughting"? I also said "Muhahaha" a lot. I don't do that so much anymore.

Hopefully some of you reviewers are still here! I don't blame you if you've abandoned me though! But if you're still here, guess what? It's almost finished. I know, it took forever. But almost there!

Who's got/read the 7th HP book? raises hand I can't believe the series is over! It's the end of an era.

What else… I think someone reviewed and talked about them crying a lot. Which is totally true, they're always crying. But I'm justifying it as teenage angst coupled with confusing feelings, low self-esteem, and, of course, the fact that they're at war and Harry has just run off alone to track down the Dark Lord.

Also, I think someone asked why Harry just didn't kill Voldie when He was all rigid… well I'd like to say it was because he's all moral and whatnot, but I actually just didn't think of that. Oh well, at least it's more dramatic now. And fits into the plot.

Also, a **very important **question at the end of this chapter for all you readers. I need your opinion or this fic might never end, so don't forget to read it!

Woo lots to say! Okay, finally, the 23rd chapter of Pure.

-----

Pure

Chapter 23: The End of the War

-----

Draco was shaking.

It was not the shaking that came from a cold day, or a cool wind. Neither was it the shaking that came from crying, a type that Draco, over the last few weeks, had become accustomed to. But no, it was not the type of shaking that came from sobbing.

This shaking came purely from fear--- from the terrible, helpless feeling of anticipation.

And it was, as Draco sat in Dumbledore's office for the second time, flanked by Ron and Hermione on either side, all he felt was this horrible dread that racked his body. And so, he shook.

On his left side, Hermione seemed to be experiencing a similar feeling of fear--- however, in contrast Draco, she sat completely rigid, her eyes glued firmly on the wall in front of them, where a picture of an old headmaster hung. The man in the frame stared back, evidently under the impression that he and the girl were in engaged in some kind of staring contest.

On his right sat Ron, neither shaking nor rigid. He fidgeted slightly, casting annoyed and curious glances at Draco, and constantly tried to catch Hermione's set eyes. He probably was, Draco thought was some exasperation, completely oblivious to why the three were called there.

To the stiff Hermione and the trembling Draco, the reason had been clear since the moment the headmaster and woken them up and rushed them to his office, still in his bedclothes.

After insisting that they sit down, Dumbledore hurried from the room, leaving the pajama-clad teenagers to wait in trepidation, and, in Ron's case, slight ignorance, until he returned.

At that moment, the door to Dumbledore's office flew open with a BANG, causing all three of them to jump and turn quickly, and the headmaster in the painting gave a small, triumphant yell as Hermione's eyes swiveled to where the current headmaster stood.

Dumbledore's appearance alone confirmed what both Hermione and Draco had already known. He was flushed, his glasses slightly askew. His hair was flying in random directions like thin, grey wire, and his bedclothes were ruffled. On his feet was a singular woolen sock.

The headmaster walked to his chair, smoothing his clothing and hair as he went. When he sat down, he had regained some of his regal atmosphere. But his eyes remained a giveaway--- they were wild beneath his half-moon spectacles, their normal twinkle disappeared, given way to a pained, frenzied look.

"Hermione. Draco. Ronald," he said, meeting each person's gaze with his own as he said their name, "I'm sure you're all very aware of why I have called you here."

Hermione and Draco gave small nods, while Ron sat staring at the headmaster, still looking somewhat confused.

"Sometime last night I was awoken by a very pained scream from the dungeons," he continued, and Draco gave a slight nod. He had heard the agonized yell too, but did not know the owner of it. Hermione and Ron only watched the headmaster--- high in Gryffindor tower, they hadn't heard a thing.

"When I reached the source of the shout, I found Professor Snape on the floor of his office, in, I assure you, very much pain." At this both Hermione and Draco's eyebrows shot up; Ron gave a strangled snort. "He was clutching his hand to his chest. When I examined it, it was very clear where the pain was coming from—his Dark Mark had turned a bright red and was twisting angrily— when I attempted to touch it, I was burned."

The students stared at the headmaster as he paused. Hermione's hand was resting slightly away from her mouth, and Draco's lips were pressed into a thin line. Ron's eyebrows were furrowed together in deep thought as he tried to realize exactly what that meant.

"Students," Dumbledore continued, "the Dark Lord has fallen."

The reaction was immediate--- Hermione gave a small squeak, and clapped her hand firmly over her mouth, her eyes squeezed shut tightly. Draco bit his lip hard, a million different thoughts and emotions running through him--- _How? When? What had become of the Death Eaters? What would happen now, to everyone? When would the students be notified? Did this mean the war was over? _ And, most importantly, _What had become of Harry? _Ron, finally understanding, gave a sharp shout of victory and pumped his fist into the air.

It was after this quick reaction, however, that all three students realized the tone that Dumbledore had delivered the news in. Contrary to how they had always imagined, his voice was solemn, serious. He did not join in on the small celebration, but instead, peered over his glasses at them, waiting for them to settle. It was, as they realized this, that Hermione's eyes flew back open, Draco clenched his fists and as his final thought burned in his mind, and Ron's second grunt of victory became strangled, before sliding back into his throat altogether.

"And Harry?" Draco finally asked, after the silence that reigned again threatened to drive him out of his mind, "What happened to Harry?"

For the first time since they had known him, Dumbledore did not meet their eyes. Instead he gazed down at the glazed, polished wood of his desk, and took a slow, sad breath.

"The ministry and I believe Harry's death came instantaneously after the Dark Lord's," he whispered, his voice small and sad. "The official decision is that it was Harry that took down Voldemort, however, it seems the due to strain that came on Harry when this death arrived, his own life was taken."

The three students sat silently before the headmaster. Hermione was no longer rigid— she had slumped over, and was staring weakly at the painting of the headmaster again, who had also sunk weakly onto his armchair. Draco was no longer shaking, but sat numb and silent, his worst fear confirmed— Harry was gone.

Only Ron spoke, his voice soft and unsure, "But--- I don't understand," he said. "What do you mean— the strain?"

"A part of Harry has always been attached to the Dark Lord, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore answered. "A part of Voldemort became a part of Harry that night his parents died. I had always suspected—but never—" he trailed off shortly, and then resumed his explanation. "When the curse hit Voldemort, the part connecting Voldemort to Harry was, in theory, hit too. Although Harry was not hit fully by the curse, we believe the strain that this put on him was enough to end his life."

Draco was trembling again. Harry—dead. He wanted nothing more than to run from the room, from the castle, into the woods. He wanted this to end, for everything to end. He wanted to be with Harry.

"Where is he?" Draco asked, suddenly. "His body. Where is Harry's body?"

Dumbledore sighed. "It seems to have been destroyed in the blast," he said. "We did, however, recover this." He held up a small, sharp silver knife, with thorns wrapped around the hilt.

Draco gave a quick, sharp gasp, and Dumbledore nodded. "The dagger given to him by Sirius," he said, mainly to the other two, who looked slightly confused.

"He wouldn't have left without it," Draco whispered, Hermione and Ron's expressions coming to mirror his own as they realized what this meant.

"What about the Death Eaters?" Hermione asked, her voice small.

"Many of them were found around the scene, dead." Dumbledore answered. "It has been decided that they died from the same pain Professor Snape was experiencing last night. In fact, if he had not been rushed immediately to the hospital wing, he could have met the same fate. Others, we believe, have gone into hiding, much like last time."

Silence settled once again as the news set in. Harry, dead. Voldemort, destroyed. Death Eaters, finished. The war, over. If it had not been for the first piece of news, today would have been a happy day. As it was, the day the war ended would never be known as anything other than the day Harry Potter died.

Dumbledore dismissed them, finally. His advice was to go back to their common rooms and wait for morning, when the news, both good and bad, would be delivered to the rest of the school.

Standing in the small landing after the spiral staircase, the door to the headmaster's office shut firmly behind them, the three students were silent, unmoving, as realization crashed upon them.

Draco let out a scream of rage, turning to Ron unexpectedly. He grabbed the front of his shirt by his hands, and lifted the lanky boy off his feet with ease, slamming him onto the rough, jagged stone walls behind him.

"This is your fault!" He screamed, letting the boy fall to his feet and then slamming his fists into him, causing the redhead to double over in pain. "This is all your fucking fault!"

Behind him, Hermione let out a small scream, and launched herself on Draco, pulling vainly at his hands and back to get him to stop.

Draco continued, the girl's efforts going unnoticed. "He left because of you!" He screamed, pain and hatred ripping through his voice. He fists were pink and raw, and he continued to slam them into every part of Ron he could—bruises and blood were becoming apparent. "He left because you didn't care! He thought as long as he defeated him, everything would be fine. Well he did, didn't he? He fucking did! Is everything fine? Is it!"

Ron was moaning something that sounded like a mixture of pain and words. He was spitting out blood, his clothes ripped, his right eye swollen, his lip broken. Behind Draco, Hermione was crying.

"He left because of you," Draco whispered, finally running out. "He's dead because of you."

His fists slowed and Ron fell to the floor in a heap, moaning and mumbling and crying.

"I'm sorry," he moaned, his voice obscured by blood and tears, "I'm so sorry."

Draco fell in front of him, shaking again. Hermione made her way to the two, still crying, and sat between them, silently cleaning up Ron. Then she turned to Draco, her heart breaking for the boy who lay curled on his side, in a slight fetal position, his whole world broken.

"No," she whispered, but her voice couldn't be heard above Ron's wrenching sobs and Draco's moaning, "He died because of me."

----

It was raining.

The drops came down on Draco, but, despite holding no umbrella, he barely noticed them. The wind blew harshly, whipping his black coat around his ankles. His pale skin burned pink, but he made no move to button his jacket or flip up his collar. If anyone was to look onto the scene, they would have been struck by how handsome the boy was, the black of his high-collared trench coat contrasting his fair skin, his hands tucked in dark leather gloves and pushed deeply into his pockets, his blonde hair blowing about his face and neck, his face slightly flushed, lips parted, silver-blue eyes shining. But on a closer look, they would have seen the boy's handsome features shadowed by sadness.

He stood on a fresh mount of dirt, slightly redder than the ground around it, and raised slightly higher. The mound stopped abruptly at a tall, marble headstone. It was one of two—this one was placed at the entrance to the forest, where Harry was last seen. The other would be placed in Godric's Hollow, next to his parent's. Draco stared at the words carved into it.

Harry James Potter

July 30, 1980 – October 17, 1996

The Boy Who Lived To Save Us All

The boy who lived to save us all. Draco felt numb.

"_I'm coming back, Draco." _ The words stung him. He hadn't believed he was going to, not then, not ever. But now that he was gone, everything was different. Everything was finite. There could be no more hoping, no more wishing, no more believing that Harry was still out there, somewhere, that he would come back and everything would be okay, finally.

Curious eyes peered at him. The school had been told of Harry's death the morning after he had. Draco remembered it, the sudden, elated joy for the end of the war. Dumbledore's words ran through Draco's mind,

_Students, I'm very pleased to announce that the Dark Lord has, at long last, been defeated. _

The hall had burst into shouts, whoops of victory. Somewhere in the mist of it Draco had made out the Weasely twins singing their own "Ode to Lord Voldie". Hands slapped backs, friends embraced, relatives rejoiced together. The shouts finally died down, and Dumbledore's voice rose again, this time in the same solemn tone that he had used in his office.

_And I'm very sorry to announce that Harry Potter has fallen with him._

There were shouts of shock, remorse. Strangled sobs. The twin's singing stopped abruptly, he heard several students from various houses cry out "no!" and "it isn't true!" Eyes swiveled around to Ron and Hermione, who sat, staring at the table, crying. And then they found him, looking straight ahead, unwilling to meet their gazes. Then he stood up and left the Great Hall.

The funeral was immense. Dumbledore had to put an expanding charm on the Great Hall to fit everyone. Witches and Wizards came from all over, whether they had known Harry personally or not. Draco saw shop owners from Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade, students and professors from other schools, parents and small children. All the Weasleys, parents included, huddled around Ron and Hermione, crying profusely. Draco recognized some of the people who sat with them— Mad-eyed Moody, Remus Lupin, and a girl with oddly styled bright blue hair. Everyone had come to say goodbye to boy who had ended the war.

Draco didn't know how long he had stood in front of the tombstone. From some feet away, he could see Hermione and Ron holding hands, gazing at him sadly. Draco had heard the rumor that two Muggles, baring a striking resemblance to the girl, had been found bound, tortured, but alive, in the cave where Voldemort was defeated. But, though it was suspicious that Hermione had been called back to Dumbledore's office shortly before the funeral, nothing had been confirmed, and the girl seemed to be remaining at Hogwarts.

The rest of the funeral-goers had long since made their way back into the Great Hall, where a feast was being served. As he stood there, Hermione and Ron made their way silently up the hill and disappeared into the castle.

"_I believe in you."_

I believe in you. It was the last thing Draco had ever said to him. And he had believed in him. Not a lot of good it did, Draco thought, at the present moment. He was hit with overwhelming sadness that he never told Harry how he felt about him. In retrospect, he supposed he had thought he'd have another chance to tell him. It seemed foolish, really. There was the man he loved—really, truly _loved, _standing in front of him, holding him, kissing him, and about to leave him, and he couldn't say it.

He blinked at the grave in front of him. Then he stretched out his hand, ran his long fingers over the name, and whispered,

"I love you, Harry James Potter."

"What?"

He was startled by the voice behind him; he had assumed everyone was back in the castle. A fresh wave of humiliation and annoyance swept over him. This wasn't exactly a way he wanted to be seen— eyes full of tears that threatened to fall, completely shaken and destroyed, and professing his love to a gravestone.

"What did you just say?"

The voice asked again. It was soft and familiar, but obscured slightly by the howling of the wind. Draco shook his head, some tears falling as he did.

"Nothing. Sorry, but could you just go?" He asked, scowling at the vulnerability in his voice. He didn't want to leave the grave, didn't want to go back into the castle, where eyes would pry and people would try to comfort him. He didn't want to be comforted. Nothing was alright.

He felt a hand tug at his arm gently, and the voice spoke again. "No, I'm not leaving. What did you just say? What are you---" The voice broke off as its owner caught site of what Draco was looking at "Ah…"

Draco felt anger surge inside of him. "Listen," he growled angrily, turning sharply, "I'll be done in a moment if you could just—"

_Shove off. _The words died in his throat as he spun on his heel, and came level with a pair of very confused emerald eyes.

Harry Potter stood in front of him, looking puzzled and very dirty. His hair was matted with blood and water, cuts and bruises lined his face— dried blood followed the line of a deep, jagged cut down his cheek. Dirt covered his body, making his skin appear one shade darker; it mingled with the blood from the cuts and scrapes that were littered across his arms, chest and legs. His clothes were in tatters, his black shirt ripped open in various places, revealing a long cut across his chest. His pants were torn badly, and both his feet were bare.

For Draco, the world went still. He couldn't move, couldn't breathe, couldn't think. For a moment he considered that he was hallucinating, but Harry's hand still rested on his arm, and he could feel it, the tangible warmth of life flowing through his fingers.

And then things sped up. Draco let out a noise, a cross between a shout, a moan, and a sob, and began pounding his fists into Harry.

Harry let out a strangled noise of surprise, but didn't try to stop him.

"You died!" Draco screamed, the tears he had held at bay throughout the day finally spilling over, running down his face and dripping onto the ground. "You said you would come back and you didn't! You died!" His words were choked, obscured by sobs. His energy began to run out, but he continued hitting Harry's chest weakly. "You died. You died and you left me here alone."

With that he collapsed, Harry catching his wrists and coming with him. Draco's knees hit the grave he stood on with a thud, and he sobbed. Harry, still holding Draco's wrists, pulled the boy into him, wrapping his arms around the trembling body.

"I came back," he whispered. "I didn't die. I came back. I'm right here." His lips found Draco's blindly, and he kissed him, relishing in the familiar warmth. He pulled back, mumbling into golden hair, "I'm right here."

They stayed like that for some time, Harry's face buried in Draco's hair, Draco's head resting on Harry's chest, where he could hear his steadily beating heart, proof that he was, in fact, alive.

"I said 'I love you'," Draco whispered, softly. Harry thought at first that he had imagined them, but he looked down at Draco, and saw silver eyes looking back up into his, scared, relieved, expectant.

For Harry, the world went still. He couldn't move, couldn't breathe, couldn't think. This was what he had been hoping for, had been wanting, but still, he had never expected for it to happen. He'd barely expected to make it out of Voldemort's cave, much less to the castle, but here he was, kneeling with Draco, on top of _his_ gave, no less, and Draco was saying the words he had been longing to hear.

And then the world sped up. And he realized that Draco was still watching him with worried, slightly hopeful eyes, and he said the only words that seemed real, and right.

"I love you too," And as he said it he could feel how much he meant it, feel his heart swell, feel it beat faster, feel happiness and hope and relief. And it struck him then how long it had been since he was able to feel any of that, or anything at all, and he whispered the words again into Draco's hair, just to hear them and feel what they made him feel.

Then silence lapsed between them, and night finally fell, and Harry pulled Draco to his feet, and looked at him, a half-smile on his face.

"Want to go scare the hell out of some people?"

Draco returned the smile, shakily, but both of them knew there was no humor in the situation. Then they trudged back up the hill, through the rain that was beginning to fall again, and into the castle.

----

A/N: Woo! Long time coming, huh? Well, there it is. No, not the end of the story. Very close, but we've still got a few unanswered questions (if any of you can even remember what they are).

I hope you liked it. It certainly took long enough, so hopefully it was worth it. I hope everyone doesn't hate me too much and will review.

**Okay now, this is VERY IMPORTANT, so if you don't read any other part of this note, READ THIS:**

Okay, there are different ways I could end this fic, and I'd like you, as my faithful readers/reviewers to tell me exactly what you want me to do:

1. Holy shit. Just end the fic. We've been waiting practically 3 years. I just want this to END!

2. Well, I'd like some more kissing. You've given us a grand total of three kisses in 23 chapters, and I'd like to see a chapter dedicated to kissing. Nothing too serious, you know, but some make-out action.

3. Don't even think about leaving this fic without some hot and heavy Draco-on-Harry action. I'm talking some kissing, hands roaming, sweaty, skin-on-skin action.

Okay review! And vote! Or I'll just do whatever I want to do, and you don't want that, do you?


End file.
